7 


nd.  89*8 


$t*BtnUb  tn  Hip 

IGtbrarg  nf  tlj ? 

of  thr 

(tfmtnig  of  Ktnga 

an&  Arabftny  nf  fflrotrtrtf  nf  Brooklyn 
OB 

WILLIAM  MOSffl,  M-  n.  


2-0  to.  I 


JUN2 


Avery  Architectural  and  Fine  Arts  Library 
Gin  OF  Seymour  B.  Durst  Old  York  Library 


SERMON, 

Preached  September.  20th,  1793  i 
A  DAY  SET  APART, 

•    IN  THE 

CITY  of  NEW-YORK, 

FOR 

PUBLIC  FASTING,  HUMILIATION 

AND 

PRATER, 

ON    ACCOUNT   OR  A 

MALIGNANT  and  MORTAL  FEVER 

PREVAILING   IN  THE 

CITY  OF  PHILADELPHIA. 
By  JOHN  MITCHEL  MASON, 

Minister  of  the  Scotch  Presbyterian  Church  in  the 
City  of  New-York. 


How  is  it  that  ye  do  not  difccrn  this  time  ?  Luke  xm,  56. 
1  have  font  among  you  the  peitilence  ;  your  young 
men  have  I  flain  by  the  fword  ;  and  have  taken  away 
your  horfes  ;  yet  have  ye  not  returned  unto  me,  faith 
the  Lord.    Amos  iv,  id. 


NEW -YORK: 
Printed  by  SAMUEL  LOUDON  fcf  SON. 

MDCCXCIU. 


A   SERMON,  &c. 


O   LORD  IN   WRATH   REMEMBER  MERCY. 

HAD.  %.  III. 


^\,T  the  time  when  our  Prophet  directed  to 
the  throne  of  grace,  that  fublime  and  affe&ing 
petition  of  which  our  text  is  a  part,  the  circunv 
ftances  of  his  country  were  calamitous,  and  her 
profpecls  alarming.  The  moil  high  God,  pro- 
voked at  her  unfaithfulnefs,  had  withdrawn  the 
fmiles  of  his  countenance,  and  the  protection  of 
his  arm*.  To  make  her  know,  by  fad  experi- 
ence, that  it  is  indeed  an  evil  thing  and  bitter  to 
depart  from  God,  he  commiflioned  his  fervant 
Habakkuk  to  foretel  the  fpeedy  invafion  of  the 
Chaldeans,  and  to  declare  that  he  would  yield 


*  Chap.  i.  2. 


(  4  ) 

her  a  hclplefi  prey  to  this  fierce  and  unpitying 
foe*.    TJie  poftcrky  of  Abraham,  like  all  other 
finnm,  were  the  authors  of  all  the  woes  which 
they  frit  or  expefted.    RcgardJej  of  this  firfl 
jirinciple  of  found  policy,  that  "  right 'ecufnefs 
ex  all  el  I  a  nation,  but  fin  is  a  reproach  to  any  peo- 
the  generality  of  the  Jews  had  abandoned 
the  God  of  their  fathers,  and  turned  afule  Like  a 
deceitful  bow^.    Not  only  were  they  blind  to  the 
typical  nature  of  their  ceconomy,  and  the  fpirit- 
ual  fenfe  of  their  peculiar  obfervances  ;  but  they 
threw  off  the  reftraint  of  moral  principle,  and 
indulged,    with  unblufhing   impudence,  their 
criminal  patton1;.    To  fuch  an  awfu!  height  had 
impiety  and  profligacy   rifen,  that  they  were 
chargeable  with  tranfgreff.ng  and  lying  againfl  the 
Lord,  and  departing  from  their  God  ;  /peaking  op- 
freffion  and  revolt,  conceiving,  and  uttering  from 
the  hear!,  words  of  faljchood.    Yea  judgment  zvas 
turned  away  backward,  and  juflice flood  afar  r.ff ; 
for  truth  ivas  fallen  in  the  ftreet,  and  equity  could 
not  enter  ;  yea  truth  failed,  and  he  that  departed 
from  evil,  made  him  [elf  a  prey\.    In  vain  did  God 
warn  by  his  providence  j  in  vain  remonftrate  by 

*  Chap.  i.  5 — 10.     f  Prov.  xiv.  34.     §  Pf.  lxxviii.  57, 
||  If.  lix.  13—15. 


(  5  ) 

his  prophets  >.  thefe  Tons  of  rebellion  and  obfti- 
nacy  perfifted  in  their  crimes,  till  <c  the  fin  of 
Judah,"  no  longer  tolerable,  was  "  written  with 
a  -pen  of  iron,  and  with  the  point  of  a  diamond*. 
Abufed  patience  aggravated,  and  haftened,  the 
doom  of  this  guilty  people.  Since  they  harden- 
ed their  hearts  againfl:  mild  expofhilation,  and 
gentle  correction,  the  Lord  God  thundered  his 
tlireatnings,  and  in  terribie  indignation  faid, 
f*  Shall  I  not  vifit  for  thefe  things  ?  And  fl: all  not 
my  foul  be  avenged  on  fuch  a  nation  as  ihis-\  ?  Pious 
Habakkuk,  who  clearly  faw  the  impending  ruin, 
wept,  in  fecret,  over  the  infatuation  of  his  coun- 
trymen ;  acknowledged  the  juftice  of  Jehovah's 
controverfy ;  and  wreftled,  in  fervent  prayer, 
for  devoted  Ifrael.  "  0  LORD,  I  have  heard 
thy  fpeech,"  the  fentence  which  t  iou  halt  denoun- 
ced againfl  my  people,  "  and  was  afraid:  O 
LORD,"  we  indeed  deferve  all  the  evils  to  which 
it  condemns  us :  yet  caft  us  not,  I  pray  thee, 
out  of  thy  fight,  but  "  revive  thy  work  in  the 
tnidjl  of  the  years,"  thefe  years  of  trouble  which 
are  coming  upon  us  "in  the  midfi  even  of  thefe 
years,  make  known''  thyfelf,  and  thy  tender  com- 


*  Jer.  xvii.  i.       j-  Cli.  v.  9. 


(  6  ) 

padlons  :  "  in  wrath,"  merited  wrath,  "  remem. 
ber,"  and  teftify,  unmerited  "mercy." 

The  words  wratb,  mercy,  remember,  which 
occur  in  the  text,  muft  be  underftood,  and  ex- 
plained in  a  fenfe  which  will  not  militate  againfl; 
the  purity,  and  fimplicity  of  the  divine  nature. 
It  would  be  both  ignorant  and  impious  to  af- 
cribe  to  Jehovah  thofe  emotions  which  agitate 
the  bofom  of  a  mortal.  In  the  uncreated  mind, 
there  is,  properly  fpeaking,  neither  paflion,  nor 
affection,  but  all  is  pure  del.  The  wrath  of 
God,  then,  as  it  refpedls  himfelf,  is  his  holy  de- 
termination to  punijh  fin  ;  and,  as  it  refpedts  his 
creatures,  is  the  execution  of  that  determination. 
Mercy,  in  Him,  is  that  perfection  which  is  ever 
ready  to  relieve  the  miferable  ;  and  when  it  re- 
gards mifery  connected  with  guilt,  it  is  termed 
grace. 

As  every  thing  is  invariably  prefent  to  the  in- 
finite mind,  God  cannot  be  ftriclly  faid  to  for- 
get :  and  therefore  to  remember  mercy,  is  the 
fame  as  to  Jheiv  mercy  :  And  the  prayer  of  the 
prophet  is  briefly  this,  that  the  Lord  would  gra- 
cioufly  remove  from  the  Ifraelites  the  punifh- 


(  ?  ) 

ment  of  their  fin,  or  would  foften,  with  kindnefs, 
the  rigor  of  his  chaftifements. 

Let  us  not  imagine,  my  brethren,  that  we 
have  no  concern  in  a  petition  which  refers  imme- 
diately to  an  occafion  that  exifted  many  centuries 
paft.  To  all  who  "  difcern  the  figns  of  the  times*" 
the  judgments  of  God,  which  are  abroad  in  the 
land,  furnifh  an  ample  proof,  that  this  is  a  day 
of  rebuke,  and  of  the  Lord's  anger.  And, 
therefore,  every  one  who  is  under  the  power  of 
godlinefs,  will  immediately  fee,  that  the  enqui- 
ries, and  the  exercifes  fuggefted  by  the  prayer 
of  the  prophet,  are  peculiarly  adapted  to  the 
ferious  purpofe  for  which  we  have  this  morning 
aflembled.  "  0  LORD,  in  wrath  remember 
mercy." 

In  applying  thefe  words  to  the  fervice  of  the 
day,  we  are  naturally  led  to  contemplate  our 
fituatioriy  and  our  duty.  By  adverting  to  the 
former,  we  will  find,  that  wrath  is  upon  us  from 
the  Lord  and  therefore  our  duty  is  to  plead 
with  him  for  mercy. — 


*  Matt.  xti.  5. 


C  *  ) 

.  FIRST,  V\  ith  refpeft  to  our  fituathn-.  The 
Lord  is  dealing  w  ith  us  in  wrath. 

Her*  lend  me  your  attention,  whilft:  I  briefly 
prove  the  fact  j  and  vindicate  the  divine  pro- 
cedure, by  fhewing  the  righteous  reafons  on 
which  it  is  founded. — 

i.  The  Lord  is  dealing  with  us  in  wrath. 

Let  the  carclefs,  if  they  pleafe,  contemn  the 
aflertion  as  of  no  importance ;  or  the  profane 
deride  it  as  the  child  of  fuperftition ;  it  is  a  fo- 
lemn  truth,  that  Jehovah  has  a  controverfy  with 
America.  Very  fuitable  to  her  condition  is  the 
fpirit  of  the  prophetic  exclamation,  "  Hear  ye, 
O  mount  aim-,  and  ye  Jlrcng  foundations  of  the 
tarth  I  for  the  Lord  hath  a  controverfy  with  bis 
people,  and  he  will  plead  with  Jfrael*."  For  the 
confirmation  of  what  has  now  been  advanced,  it 
is  not  neceffary  to  recur  to  fcenes  which  time  fi3s 
almoft  buried  in  oblivion,  and  which  are  no 
where  prefcrved  but  in  the  records  of  the  hifto- 
rian.    Thofe  fymptoms  of  the  divine  dilplea- 

^licah,  vi.  2. 


(  9  ) 

fure  on  which  I  infill,  are  fuch  as  have  recently 
occurred,  and  muft  be  frefn  in  the  memories  of 
all  who  have  arrived  at  the  age  of  manhood. 

It  is  not  long  fince  war  defolated  our  country. 
We  faw  her  invaded  by  a  numerous  and  difcipli- 
ned  army,  trained  to  be  the  tool  of  oppreffion, 
and  hired  to  commit  deeds  of  blood,  in  order 

to  infure  fuccefs  to  fchemes  of  iniquity  We 

faw  our  fufrering  citizens  driven  from  their 
homes  by  thele  fons  of  plunder,  and  obliged  to 
feek,  among  ftrangers,  an  afylum  from  the  win- 
try blaft,  and  relief  from  the  miferies  of  poverty 

2nd  exile  W e  faw  the  temples  of  the  living 

God  wrefted  from  the  peaceful  worlhipper  ;  ra- 
vaged and  wrapt  in  flames,  by  wretches  whofe 
fcnfeleflhefs  couid  be  equalled  only  by  their  im- 
piety We  faw  a  part,  at  leaft,  oc  the  States 

overrun  by  banditti,  whofe  conduct  was  marked 

with  perfidy  and  violence  We  faw  the  fword 

of  ilaughter  drawn,  and  the  fields  of  America 
drenched  with  the  blood  of  her  children.  For 
more  than  feven  years  did  woe  ftream  her  bitter- 
nefs  into  our  daily  cup.  At  length  the  Lord 
was  pleafed  to  remove  from  us  the  rod  of  his 

B 


(  IQ  ) 

a»gcr;  to  refpitc  *is  from  affliction,  and  to  give 
pfeace  in  our  borders.  The  happy  eftcfts  of  a 
change ip  defirable,  were  in. mediately  and  fenfi- 
b!y  felt.  As  foon  as  the  preffure  of  external  ca- 
lamity was  taken  off,  langui filing  Commerce  re- 
covered  her  vigor. —  Agriculture  was  profecuted 
with  fafety  and  fuccefs ;  Science  refumed  her 
wonted  feats  ;  and  all  the  arts  cf  peace  were 
cultivated  and  fiouri/hed.  -  He  who  fhould  com- 
pare our  unpromifing  condition  with  our  mira- 
culous preservation,  would  be  ready  to  conclude, 
that  Americans,  above  all  others,  would  moft 
afiedionately  remember  a  favor  fo  great  and 
unexpected.  Yet,  to  our  fhame  be  it  fpoken, 
when  our  enemies  were  gone,  we  neglected  the 
God  of  our  deliverance.  But  he  foon  made  it 
evident,  by  another  alarming  providence,  that 
he  had  not  forgotten  our  paft  tianfgrefilons,  and 
that  he  did  not  oVerk  ok  our  prefent  unthankful- 
nefs.  The  enviable  blefungs  which  his  bounty 
beftowed,  we  had  reafon  to  fear  would  again  be 
torn  from  us.  The  florm  once  more  thickened, 
and  lowered,  and  threatened.  Four  years,  from 
the  reparation  of  peace,  had  not  elapfed,  when 
the  reflecting  patriot  forefaw  the  rapid  approach 


(  »  ) 

of  danger  more  formidable  than  that  which  we 
had  efcaped.  The  bond  of  general  union  pro- 
ved too  feeble  for  the  important  purpofes  for 
which  it  was  formed.  Clafning  interefcs  and 
turbulent  fpirits  foreboded  the  introduction  of 
Anarchy,  with  all  the  curfes  that  follow  in  his 
train.  But  the  Lord  long  fufferir.g  did  not  pour 
out  upon  us  the  fury  of  his  anger.  He  fhook  the 
rod  over  us  that  we  might  obferve  it ;  and  laid 
it  afide  without  chaftifing.-  Loth  to  make  us  the 
monuments  of  his  wrath,  and  willing  to  reclaim 
us  from  our  guilty  indifference,  he  ti  ied  the  ar- 
guments of  mercy.  He  diflipated  the  blacken- 
ing clouds,  and  gave  ue  a  confcitution  which  fe- 
cures,  to  all  ranks  of  c'tizens,  every  fpecies  of 
right;  which  combines  wifdom  with  energy; 
and  connects  the  dignity  of  the  government,  with 
the  fafety  and  happinefsof  the  individual.  The 
profpect  of  evil  had  awakened  the  fenfibility  of 
the  public  mind,  and  the  prompt  falvation  oblig- 
ed even  politicians  to  acknowledge  "the  finger 
cf  God."  But  when  the  panic  fabfided,  the  de- 
votion fubfided  with  it :  and  America  quickly 
relapfcd  into  her  former  lethargy. 


(   12  ) 

To  chaflajfc  the  bypocrify,  and  cure  the  indif- 
ference, which  all  orders  of  men  had  betrayed, 
Jehovah  commiflii>ned  his  army,  againft  which 
valor  and  fkill  are  no  defence,  to  avenge  his  quar- 
rel. A  hod  of  deftructive  infects,  fporting  with 
the  puny  efforts  of  human  exertion,  traverfed 
the  country,  and  mowed  down,  in  their  march, 
the  fluff  of  life.  "  Ike  land  was  as  the  garden 
of  Eden  before  them,  and  behind  them  a  dejolate 
,ivildernefs*."  Had  they  continued  their  devaf- 
tations,  we  could  have  expected  little  but  *'  ciean- 
tiejs  of  teeth  in  all  our  dwellings]-."  Startled  at 
the  alarming  progrefs  of  this  minute,  yet  invin- 
cible foe,  cur  citizens,  who  were  not  wholly  dead 
to  religious  principle,  were  confirained  to  remai  k 
the  judgment  of  the  Moil  High,  and  to  implore 
the  aid  of  him  whom  they  had  offended.  But 
the  pang  of  penitence  was  no  longer  felt  when  the 
affliction  ceafed,  and  the  return  of  prosperity  was 
accompanied  with  a  return  of  tiT.nfgrefiion. 

To  remind  us  of  our  fin  and  of  our  duty,  the 

"  *  Jccl  ii.  3.  f  Amos  iv.  6.  Seethchiflory 

Of  the  Heffidn  rly  in  the  American  Mufeum,  vol.  i,  page 

2Cyl  293.  p.  456  458.   Vol.  2,    p.  20.8  300.   Vol.  4,  p. 

244—247.  vol.  II,  p.  301,  302. 


(  n  ) 


monitions  of  Providence  were'  again  employed: 
In  juft  indignation,  God  fent  upon  our  frontiers 
the  Indian  tribes.  War  lighted,  once  more,  his 
hoftile  torch,  and  Death  unfui  led  his  banners. 
Our  Weftern  brethren  were  expo  fed  to  the  ind;;- 
fcribable  horrors  of  a  lavage  warfare  :  a  warfare, 
of  which  the  unvarying  maxim  is,  an  indifcrimi- 
nate  murder  of  every  age  and  fex.  Elated  with 
the  perfuafion,  that  their  power  was  inefiRable 
by  the  hords  of  the  wildernefs,  the  States  rcfol- 
ved  to  crufh;  at  a  blow,  the  troublefcmc  combi- 
nation which  was  formed  again!!  them.  But 
they  trufted  in  an  arm  of  fielh  :  the  God  of  bat- 
tles fought  for  their  enemies,  and  what  was  the 
ifTuc  ?  Let  the  banks  of  Si.  Mary,  and  the  ad- 
jacent grounds  which  now  whiten  with  the  bones 
of  our  youth,  tell  the  tale  of  woe  1*    From  that 

*  The  affecting  cataftrophe  here  alluded  to,  happened 
on  the  4th  of  November,  1791.  On  that  inauipicious  day, 
the  American  army,  which  Gen.  St.  Clair  led  againit  the 
Weftern  Indians  was  entirely  defeated.  The  battle  was 
fought  at  the  River  St.  Mary,  about  15  miles  from  the 
Miami  Village.  The  army  confilted  of  about  1400  effec- 
tive men.  No  lefs  than  3S  officers,  and  above  1 100  men 
were  killed  ;  and  it  was  with  difficulty  that  the  miferable 
remnant  made  good  their  retreat.  See  Gen.  St.  Clair's 
official  letter,  American  Mufeum  vol.  10,  appendix. 
Qaarter-Mafter  Hodgdon's  return  cf  the  officers  killed 


(  14  ) 

difaftrous  period  to  this,  the  vengeful  barbarian 
has  more  or  lefs  committed  depredations  on  our 
borders  ;  pillaging  the  property,  and  deflxoying 
the  lives  of  our  citizens.  What  fhall  we  fay  to 
the  prejent  afpecr.  of  Providence  ?  You  all  know 
the  deplorable  condition  of  our  neighboring  city. 
A  few  weeks  ago  fhe  was  a  city  of  profperity  and 
joy — Commerce  crowded  her  harbor,  and 
thronged  her  flreets — Mechanic  induftry  boaftrd 
her  ufeful,  though  humbler  toil — Literature  faw, 
with  delight,  her  growing  honorsC '  Amufement 
led  up  her  fportive  train  :  Jollity  afTembled  the 
fonj  of  mirth  :  All  was  life — all  was  ardor.  But, 
how  fad  the  change  !  The  hurry  of  bufinefs  has 
ccafed  :  The  hands  of  induftry  are  idle  :  Gaiety 
is  fled.  All  faces  gather  blacknefs  ;  and  the 
theatre  of  pleafure  is  converted  into  one  great 
houfc  of  mourning.  "  The  mirth  of  tabrets  ceaf- 
elh  :  the  noife'ef  them  that  rejoice  endcth  :  the  joy 
of  the  harp  ceqfeth :  They  jball  not  drink  wine  with 
a  Jong :  firong  drink  Jhall  be  bitter  to  them  that 
drink  it : — every  hcufe  is  flout  up,  that  no  man  may 

and  wounded,  p.  28.  The  "  report  of  a  cemmittec  of  Con- 
grefs  respecting  the  failure  of  the  expedition  under  Gen. 
St.  Clair,"  ib.  vol.  9,  appen.  2d,  p.  79 — 82  ;  and  alio  ap- 
pendix 3d,  p.  2. 


(  lS  ) 


came  in.  In  the  city  is  left  desolation  ;  end  the 
gate  is  /mitten  with  definition* ."  Death  has 
erected,  in  the  midft  of  her,  his  gloomy  throne. 
With  fury  uncontroled,  he  rages  through  all  de- 
fcriptions  of  men.  In  all  directions  fly  the  fliafts 
of  this  unerring  archer.  Every  day  he  multiplies 
his  triumphs.  The  young,  the  old,  the  honor- 
able, and  the  vile,  fall  the  undiftinguifhed  prey 
of  this  remorfelefs  tyrant.  Vain,  as  yet,  have 
been  all  human  expedients  to  arreft  his  progrefs, 
and  baffle  his  power.  He  mocks  oppofition — 
he  ftrews  the  earth  with  flain — Pie  numbers 
among  his  victims  even  the  "mailers  of  "the 
healing  art." 

Let  none  confider  this  dire  calamity  as  an 
event  in  which  only  the  immediate  fufferers  are 
concerned.  To  punifh  their  iniquities  it  has, 
doubtlefs,  been  fent.  But  are  they  Jingle  in  tranf- 
greffion  ?  Have  we  efcaped  becaufe  we  are  bet- 
ter than  they  ?  No,  in  no  wife.  A  fovereign 
God  has  made  them  an  example  of  his  righteous 
vengeance.  The  evil  under  which  they  lan- 
guish, is  one  of  thofe  awful  difpenfations  by 


*  If.  XXIV.  8 — 12 


( I* ) 

which  Jtr!iov.i!i  fpcaks,  in  thunder,  to  a  guilty 
people.  The  deftroying  Angel,  who  is  now  ex- 
ecuting upon  our  fellow  citizens  and  fellow  fin- 
ncrs  the  awards  of  Heaven,  looks  terribly  on 
us,  looks  terribly  on  all. — Whether  he  will  bend 
li is  courfe  hither,  God  only  knows. 

Now,  my  brethren,  lay  all  thefe  things  toge- 
ther, and  aft:  your  own  confeiences,  whether  the 
Lord  has  not  been,  and  is  not,  at  this  moment, 
dealing  v>ith  us  in  wrath  ?  Afiuredly,  u  for  all 
this  his  anger  is  not  turned  away>  but  bis  hand  is 
fir  etched  out  Jttyf" 

Philosophers  may  fpeculate  and  argue  as 
they  pleafe.  They  may  pretend  to  affign  merely 
natural  caufes  for  all  thefe  events.  But  let  it  be 
remembered,  that  GOD  ACTUATES  NA- 
TURE. Nature,  without  God,  is  a  word  either 
deftitute  of  meaning,  or  replete  with  blafphemy. 
Jehovah  accompliih.es,  by  natural  means,  the 
wife  and  holy  ends  of  his  moral  government. 
By  natural  means  he  preferves  the  righteous :  by 
natural  means  he  punifhes  the  guilty.    "  Shall 


If.  ix.  17. 


(  i7  ) 

there  be  evil  in  a  city,  and  the  LORD  hath  not 
'done  it*  ?  "  But  why  accumulate  arguments  to 
prove  that  the  affliction  which  we  deplore  is  not 
a  chance,  but  a  divine  appointment  ?  Your  very 
appearance  in  the  fanctuary  this  morning,  is  a 
public  teftimony  of  your  deep  conviction  that 
**  this  alfo  comet h  forth  from  Jehovah,  who  is  ter- 
rible in  his  doing  toward  the  children  of  mcn\?* 

Since,  then,  the  diftrefies  under  which  we 
have  formerly  fmarted,  and  that  which  now  af- 
flicts fome  of  our  citizens,  and  threatens  more, 
is  "  the  doing  of  the  Lcrd\,  permit  me 

i.  To  "vindicate  the  ways  of  God  to  man," 
by  fhewing  what  righteous  reafons  he  has  for 
dealing  with  us  in  Wrath. 

We  need  not  go  far  to  look  for  caufes  :  They 
are  within  us,  and  around  us.  We  will  find 
abundant  reafon  to  juflify  the  divine  procedure, 
if  we  advert  to  our  ingratitude,  our  infinctrity, 

*  Amos  in.  6.        f  If.  xxvin.  29;  Pf.  lxvi.  5. 
X  Pf.  cxviii.  23. 

c 


(  i8  ) 

our  pride,  our  obfiir.acy,  and  the  prevalence  of 
various  kinds  of  moral  eviL 

It  is  but  too  evident  to  any  one  who  curlorily 
infpecls  the  conduct  of  God  to  us,  and  our  con- 
duel  to  him,  that  we  have  been  very  ungrateful. 

There  is  no  nation  under  heaven  for  which 
God  hath  done  fo  much  in  fo  fhort  a  time,  as  he 
hath  done  for  America.  In  the  fcafon  of  our 
danger,  when  our  hope  "was  almoft  as  the  giving 
up  of  the  gbojt*,  and  we  felt  ourfclves  unable  to 
work  out  our  own  deliverance,  we  fupplicated 
his  aid.  Memorable,  to  diftant  ages  fhould  be 
the  20th  of  July,  177 5 \  :  when  the  injured  mil- 
lions of  America,  proftrate  before  the  throne  of 
the  Eternal,  poured  out  their  complaint,  and 
fent  their  cry,  to  him  that  pidgeth  rightly^..  Je- 
hovah heard  our  cry.  He  bo-xved  his  heavens  and 
came  doivn\.  Our  armies,  deftitute  of  difcipline, 
of  arms,  of  ammunition,  of  food,  of  cloath- 
ing,  fainting  with  hunger,  and  freezing  with  cold, 

*  Job  xi.  20.  f  Obferved  throughout  the  con- 

tinent as  a  day  of  fading,  humiliation,  and  prayer  ;  and 
one  of  the  mod  folemn  days  Ihe  erer  faw. 

%  Jer.  xi.  20.  $  1  Sam.  xxn.  10. 


C  19  ) 


he  crowned  with  victory  the  moft  fignal,  and 
decifive.  He  reftored  peace  to  our  borders 
Heblefied  our  commerce  :  Ke  opened  the  win- 
dows of  Heaven,. and  poured  plenty  into  our 
dwellings  :  He  kept  us  from  the  confufion,  and 
tumult,  and  miferies,  of  <:ivil  feuds:  He  has 
preferved  us,  hitherto,  from  being  involved  in. 
the  broils  and  bloodfhed  of  Europe.  He  has 
fweetened  all  thefe  mercies  by  fixing  us  in  the 
fecure  enjoyment  of  every  privilege  our  hearts 
can  vvifh  :  He  has  given  us  the  everla-fting  gof- 
pel,  we  truft,  in  its  purity  ;  and  has  been  invi- 
ting, by  the  allurements  of  his  love,  to  the  en- 
joyment of  his  reft.  Eut  where  has  been  our 
gratitude  ?  What  have  we  rendered  to  the  Lord 
for  this  profufion  of  benefits  ?  Let  us  appeal  to 
the  moft  interefting,  important,  and  folemn  bu- 
finefs  in  which  we  have  been  engaged  fmce  our 
national  exiftence.  One  would  imagine  that  no. 
occafion  of  making  a  pointed  and  public  acknow- 
ledgment of  the  divine  benignity,  could  have- 
prefented  itfelf  fo  obvioufly,  as  the  framing  an 
inftrument  of  government  which,  in  the  nature 
of  things,  muft  be  clofely  allied  to  ourhappinefs 
or  our  ruin.  And  yet,  that  very  conftitution 
which  the  firjpular  goodnefs  of  God  enabled  us 


(  ao  ) 

to  eftablifh,  does  not  fo  much  as  recognize  hia 
being*  I  Yes,  my  brethren,  it  is  a  lamentable 
truth  :  a  truth,  at  the  mention  of  which  fhamc 
Ihould  crimfon  our  faces ;  that,  like  Jcfhurun  of 
old,  we  have  waxed  fat  and  kicked*  Of  the  rock 
that  begat  us  ive  hav£  been  unmindful^  we  have 
forgotten  his  works  y  and  the  wonders  that  he  hath 
Shewed  us].  Oh  my  country  !  Torn  from  thy 
hiftoiy  be  the  difgraceful  page  which  records  thy 
unthankfulnefs ! 

*  While  many,  on  various  pretences,  have  criminated 
the  Federal  conftitution,  one  objection  has  urged  itielf  for-; 
cibly  on  the  pious  mind.  That  no  notice  whatever  Ihould 
be  taken  of  that  God  who  planteth  a  nation  and  plucketh, 
it  up  at  his  pleafurc,  is  an  omiffion  which  no  pretext  what- 
ever can  palliate.  Had  iuch  a  momentous  bufincfs  been, 
tranfacled  by  Mahvuetaris,  they  would  have  begun  "/« 
the  name  of  God.  Even  the  Savages  whom  we  defpife, 
fetting  a  better  example,  would  have  paid  fome  homage 
to  the  Great  Spirit.  But,  hem  the  conftitution  of  the 
United  States,  it  is  impoflible  to  afcertain  ivhat  God  we 
woilhip  ;  or  whether  we  own  a  God  at  all.  Jt  is  a  very 
insufficient  apology  to  plead,  that  the  devotion  which  poli- 
tical inftitutions  offer  to  the  Supreme  Being,  is,  in  moll 
cafes,  a  matter  of  mere  fo;  m  :  For  the  hypocrify  of  one 
man,  or  fet  of  men,  is  furely  no  excufc  for  the  infidelity 
of  another.    Should  the  citizens  of  America  be  as  irrelir 

fjious  as  her  conftitution,  we  will  have  reafon  to  tremble, 
eft  the  Governor  of  the  univerfe,  who  will  not  be  treated 
with  indignity  by  a  people,  any  more  than  by  individuals, 
overturn,  from  its  foundation,  the  fabric  we  have  beea 
rearing,  and  crufh  us  to  atoms  in  the  wreck. 
-J-  Dcut.  xxx.il.  15,  18  j  Pf.  lxxvjii.  11. 


( 21  ) 

There  is  a  connection  between  crimes,  as  well 
as  between  graces.  Never  will  we  find,  either 
in  individuals  or  communities,  a  folitary  fin.  In 
the  conduft  of  America,  particularly,  there  has 
been  a  moft  unworthy  combination.  Little  is 
necefTary  to  prove,  that  if  we  have  been  ungrate- 
ful, we  have  alfo  been  infmcere. 

Who  does  not  remember  the  profefiedly  pe- 
nitential tears  which  dreamed  from  every  eye,  and 
the  groans  which  burft  from  every  heart,  when 
the  hand  of  the  Lord  lay  heavy  upon  us.  Our 
rulers  and  public  men  led  the  way  to  a£b  of  fo- 
lemn  devotion,  and  invited  their  fellow  citizens 
to  join  together  in  humbling  tbemfches  under  the 
mighty  hand  of  God?  Who  profcribed,  as  far  as 
their  authority  could  reach,  thofe  guilty  amufe- 
ments  and  practices  which  provoke  the  Moft 
High  to  pour  out  his  fury  upon  a  people  ?  Who 
reprobated,  and  exhorted  others  to  difcounte- 
nance,  that  feminary  of  vice,  that  corrupter  of 
moral  principle,  that  parent  of  profligacy,  the 
theatre?  Who  condemned  games  of  chance,  horfe- 
racing*,  and  other  kinds  of  immoral  behavior  ? 

*  To  fome  it  may  appear  ftrange  that  games  of  chance, 
fuch  as  cards,  dice,  &c.  were  ranked  among  the  fins  of 


( « ) 


Did  not  the  reprefentatives  of  the  community  ? 
Who,  fince  the  reftoration  of  peace,  have  been 
the  firft  to  throw  off  every  appearance  of  ref- 

thc  land.  The  ufual  pretext  that  they  are  harmlefs  pak 
times,  is  very  flimfy  and  altogether  inadmiflible.  Inde-. 
pendently  on  the  odious  conicqucnces,  with  which  they 
ore  generally  coneftcd,  they  are  much  more  ciiminal  than- 
many  are  inclined  to  allow.  It  may  fufely  be  affirmed 
that  they  are  palpable  violations,  of  the  third  precept  of 
the  decalogue.  What  is  a  navie  ?  It  is  a  diitinguilhing 
mark.  What  is  the  name  of  God  ?  It  is  any  thing  by 
which  he  makes  limfelf  Icmnun.  Now  he  makes,  bunlelf 
known  as  the  God  of  Providence ;  and  therefore  to  fport 
with  his  Providence,  is  equivalent  to  fporting  with  his  di-- 
vinity.  But  with  this  all  games  of  chajice  are  chargeable.. 
If  the  Providence  of  God  extends  to  the  fall  of  a  ffiarroio,. 
why  not  to  the  fiiuffle  of  a  card',  or  the  cart  of  the  dice  ? 
But  the  former  cannot  happen  without  a  divine  appoint- 
ment (Mat.  in,  10.)  therefore,  the  latter  cannot.  We 
are  pofitively  allured  that  "the  ivho/e  difpofutg  of  the  lot  is 
from  the  Lord."  (Prov.  xvi,  33.)  And' aft  games  of 
chance  arc  lots.  On  fome  occalions  it  may  not  only  be 
lawful  but  a  duty,  to  refer  certain  cafes,  by  religious  lot, 
to  the  dccifion  of  God's  tribunal.  This  is  a  mode  of  ac- 
knowledging his  fupremacy  which  he  has  honored  with 
his  approbation,  under  the  difpenfation  both  of  the  old 
Teftament  and  the  new ;  and  which,  under  the  former, 
he  exprefsly  commanded.  The  religious  lot,  then,  it  is 
plain,  is  an  act  of  worihip  prccifcly  of  the  fame  kind  with 
the  religious  oath.  Both  are  folemn  and  direil  appeals  to 
Omnifciencc  and  Omnipotence.  And  games  of  chance 
bear,  in  every  particular,  the  fame  relation  to  the  for- 
mer, which  profane  fwearing  bears  to  the  latter  ;  whence 
the  conclufion,  however  uncomfortable,  is  inevitable,  that 
if  profane  fwearing  is  criminal,  fo  are  games  of  chance  ; 
nay,  that  thefe  games  are  every  jot  as  wicked  as  common, 
cuftomary  imprecation.  It  is  foolifh  to  fay,  **  We  mean 
no  evil."  Every  curfmg  reprobate  pleads  the  fame  excufc 


(  n  ) 


peel  for  the  authority  of  the  great  God,  and  to 
treat  his  ordinances,  and  his  word  with  contempt  ? 
Have  they  not  too  often  been  thofc  to  whom 

"  This  mode  of  arguing,"  it  may  be  Lid,  "  drr.ws  very- 
deep,  and  involves  in  the  guilt  of  fporting  with  Divine 
Providence,  not  only  games  of  chance,  but  all  amufements 
of  fkill ;  and,  eventually,  all,  even  the  moft  innocent,  ac- 
tions of  our  lives ;  fince  the  ifllie  of  them  all  rauft  be  de- 
termined by  the  fuperintendance  of  Divine  Providence  ; 
and,  therefore,  that  either  this  dreadful  confequence  muft 
be  admitted,  or  the  principle  on  which  games  of  chance 
are  condemned,  given  up  ;  and  thefe  games,  of  courfe, 
juftified."  But  the  objection  proves  by  far  too  much.  No 
man  will  deny  murder  to  be  a  horrible  crime.  Now,  as  it 
can  be,  and  often  has  been,  demonftrated,  that  all  fpon~ 
taneous  motion,  to  which  belongs  all  mufcnlar  and  vital 
tnotion,  is  the  effect  of  the  immediate  agency  of  the 
Deity*,  we  muft  either,  according  to  the  doctrineof  the 
objection,  allow  murder  to  be  an  innocent  a&ion,  or  throw 
the  blame  of  it  upon  God  himfelf.  The  truth  is  that  the 
objection  confounds  two  things  eftentially  different.  In 
games  of  chance,  the  principle  which  makes  them  fuch» 
and  without  which  they  would  ceafe  to  be  fuch,  is  the  ap- 
peal to  God:  The  decifion  is  defignedly  put  out  of  the  reach 
of  human  forefight ;  and  fhould  a  man  ufe  any  precaution 
to  determine  the  chance  in  his  own  favor,  he  would  be  ac- 
cufed  of  unfair  play.  This  forms  the  characler  of  the 
games  in  queftion,  and  diftinguilhes  them  from  trials  of 
fkill,  and  all  the  common  actions  of  life,  the  iilue  of  which 
depends  upon  the  providence  of  God.  In  the  fermer>  an 
appeal  to  God  conftitutes  the  nature  of  the  game.  In  the 
latter,  there  are  only  fome  cirumfiances  which  his  provi- 
dence difpofes  :  circumftances  which  neceftarily  attend  our 
*<ftions,  as  the  actions  of  dependent  beings. 

As  to  horfe-racing,  it  is  a  fin  alraoft  too  flagrant  to  re- 
quire any  proof.    God  gave  us  his  creatures  to  ufe  for  our 
good,  not  to  torment  for  our  diverfion.    And  if  the  fcrip- 
ture  fays  true,  that  "  the  righteous  man  rtgardetb  the  life  of 
*  Baxter's  Matho.  toI.  i.  p.  331— 339. 


( 

the  mofl  important  interefts  of  the  country  were 
committed  ?  Have  not  men  in  office,  and  num- 
bers of  our  principal  citizens,  been  foremoft  to 
obferve,  in  the  face  of  day,  that  very  conduct, 
which  formerly  they  decried  as  unlawful  in  its 
nature,  and  deftru&ive  in  its  influence  ?  Is  this 
carriage  which  becomes  thofe  who  vowed  to  live 
for  God,  if  he  would  fave  them  from  their  dif- 
trefs  ?  We  may  fee  upon  ourfelvcs  the  black 
mark  of  Ifrael's  duplicity  and  treafon.  "  When 
he  flew  them,  then  they  fought  him  ;  and  they  re- 
turned and  inquired  early  after  God :  and  they  re- 
membered that  God  was  their  rock,  and  the  moji 
high  God  their  Redeemer :  Neverthelefs,  they  did 
falter  him  with  their  mouth,  and  lied  unto  him 
with  their  tongues  ;  for  their  heart  was  not  right 
with  him,  neither  were  they  ftedfaft  in  his  cove- 
nant* "  "  Be  not  deceived,  God  is  not  mocked\  : 
Thefe  things  we  wickedly  have  done,  and  be  kept 

his  beafl,"  he  who  can  habitually  indulge  himfclf,  or  coun- 
tenance others,  in  a  wanton,  cruel  abufe  of  one  of  the 
moft  generous  animals  that  alleviate  his  toil,  and  promote 
his  comfort,  has  a  wretched  claim  to  the  character  of  a 
Chriftian. 


*  Pf.  ixxriu,  34 — 37. 


t  Gal.  ti,  7. 


I  25  ) 

ftlente  ;  we  thought  that  he  is  altogether  Juch  an 
one  as  ourfelvss,  but  now,  by  his  providence,  he 
is  reproving  us,  and  Jetting  our  iniquities  in  order 
before  our  eyes*. 

One  who  reflects  upon  the  majefty  of  God, 
and  the  evil  of  fin,  will  fee,  in  fuch  vile  ingra- 
titude and  hypocrify,  abundant  rcafon  to  juftify 
him  for  pleading  with  us  in  wrath :  and  inflead 
of  wondering  that  we  are  chaftifed,  will  wonder 
that  the  divine  patience  permits  us  to  exift  j  when 
he  furveys  our  unbecoming  pride. 

Have  we  not,  my  brethren,  in  numberlefs 
inftances,  acted  as  if  we  were  the  fnurces  of  our 
own  happinefs,  and  the  fovereigns  of  our  own 
conduct  ?  As  if  we  were  neither  fubject  to  theju- 
rifdiction,  nor  amenable  to  the  tribunal,  of  "  the 
God  in  whom  we  live,  and  move,  and  have  our 
being\  ?"  Has  not  America,  in  the  fulnefs  of  her 
profperity,  virtually  faid,  <c  Who  is  the  Lord,  that 
J Jhould  obey  him\  ?"  Has  me  not  faid,  "  My 
power,  and  the  might  of  my  hand,  have  gotten  me 


*  Pf.  L,  21. 


j  Dan.  v,  23. 

D 


X  Ex.  v,  2. 


(  26  ) 


this  wealth**"  Has  (he  not  faid,  with  imperious 
Babylon,  "  I  jhalt  be  a  lady  forever  ;  I  am,  and 
there  is  none  clfe-\  ?"  Is  it  any  thing  ftrange  then, 
that  "  mi/chief  which  JJje  is  unable  to  put  off,  has 
fallen  upon  her\  ?"  My  brethren,  God  is  jealous 
of  his  glory.  He  will  not  fuffer  the  creature  to 
affect  independence  on  the  Creator.  He  will 
make  us  know  that  "  Jehovah  reigns,  and,  there- 
fore, the  people  thujt  trmbleX* 

Thest  abominations,  too  notorious  to  be  de- 
nied, and  too  fhocking  to  be  palliated,  arc  ren- 
dered ftiil  more  heinous  by  the  cbflinacy  which 
has  uniformly  character!  fed  them. 

What  means  have  been  neglected  to  fhew 
us  our  fin,  to  warn  us  of  our  danger,  and  bring 
us  back  to  our  duty  Has"  not  God  fpoken  to 
us  both  in  judgment,  and  in  mercy  ?  Has  he  not 
alternately  inflicted  his  chaftifements,  and  lavifh- 
ed  his  bounties  ?  Has  he  not  "many  a  time  turn- 
ed his  anger  away,  and  refrained  from  Jlirring  up 
all  his  wrath**  V  And  have  we  not  perfuted  in 

*  Deut.  vim,  17.         f  If.  xlvm,  7,8.         t  lb.  V,  II. 
§  Pf.  XCIX,  I.  **  Pf.  lxviii,  38. 


(  27  ) 

walking  contrary  to  him  ?  Have  we  net  made 
our  "neck  an  iron  Jin?wx  and  cur  Irc-iv  brats*  ?" 
Sins  abound,  but  where  are  the  penitent  ?  Who 
"  Jigb  and  cry  for  the  abominations  dene  in  the 
land'\V  Who  appropriates  to  himfelf  his  (hare 
of  the  general  guilt?  Where  is  the  humbled 
hearty  where  the  cont  ite  fpiiit,  occafioned  by 
fueh  an  appropriation  ?  Shall  the  abufe  of  God's 
amazing  patience  and  lenity,  and  our  unfruit- 
fulncfs  under  all  the  pains  he  has  taken  with  us, 
go  unpunifhed  ?  No  certainly  !  We  may  forget, 
but  the  Lord  remembers  :  And  if  he  fweep  us 
not  away  with  the  befom  of  definition,  it  is  be- 
caufe  he  is  the  LORD  leng-juffering.  But  woe 
to  him  who  argues,  from  the  divine  forbearance, 
that  he  fliall  pafs  with  impunity.  The  longer 
Juftice  fpares,  the  higher  does  fhe  lift  her  arm, 
and  the  heavier  will  be  her  ftroke  at  the  lafh  "He 
that,  being  often  reproved,  hardeneth  his  neck,  ftmll 
fuddenly  be  deflroyed,  and  that  without  remedy^" 

Such  has  been  our  behavior,  and  fuch  beha- 
vior has  drawn  upon  us  the  vengeance  of  Heaven. 


*  If.  XLvm,  4.        f  Ezek.  ix,  4.        \  Prov.  xxix,  1. 


(   28  ) 

Here,  then,  our  inquiries  into  the  caufe  of  the 
Lord's  difplcafure  unight  cud  ;  but  we  may  pro- 
perly go  a  flep  farther,  and  obferve  that  he  is 
juftly  angry  with  us  on  account  of  the  prevalence 
of  various  kinds  of  moral  evil. 

What  refpect  is  paid  to  thofe  fundamental 
principles  of  moral  rectitude  upon  which  is 
founded,  not  only  the  profperity,  but  the  exif- 
tence,  of  a  commonwealth  ?  Is  not  truth  be- 
tween man  and  man,  the  bafis  of  mutual  confi- 
dence, and  the  life  of  fociety,  fhamefully  viola- 
ted ?  Are  not  unmeaning  profeflions,  and  grofs 
adulation,  too  general  in  the  circles  of  fafhion  ? 
Is  not  the  breach  of  abfolute  promife,  particular- 
ly among  debtors  and  tradefmen,  become  fo 
common,  that  it  is  fcarcely  confidered  as  a  fault  ? 
Is  not  the  bond  of  all  civil  union,  the  folemn 
appeal  to  Omnifcience  by  oath,  fallen  almoft  into 
contempt,  from  the  irreverent  manner  in  which 
it  is  both  adminiftered,  and  taken  ?  Is  not  the 
name  of  the  great  and  terrible  GOD,  wantonly 
and  outrageoufly  blafphemed  ?  Are  not  even 
children,  who,  it  is  probable,  were  never  taught 
to  put  up  one  prayer  to  the  author  of  their  be- 


(  *9  ) 


ing,  expert  in  the  infernal  fcience  of  profane  im- 
precation ?  Do  not  our  "  fireets  refound  with 
this  language  of  hell  ?"  Is  it  not  heard  even  from 
the  lips  of  many  who  prefume  to  call  themfelves 
by  the  name  of  Chrift  ?  Yes,  my  brethren,  "  Bc- 
cauje  of  SWEARING  the  land,  mournetb*:' 

What  regard  is  fhewn  to  the  important  du- 
ties which  are  reciprocally  incumbent  upon  the 
different  members  of  families  ?  Where  are  the. 
watchful,  circumfpecl:,  confeientious,  praying 
parents?  Where  the  humble,  dutiful,  pious  chil- 
dren ?  What  is  become  of  family  devotion  ? 
What,  of  family  difcipline  ?  What,  of  the  en- 
gagements into  which  parents,  at  the  baptifm  of 
their  infants  entered  to  obferve  both  ?  Is  not  neg- 
lect, in  thefc  particulars,  a  fatal  fource  of  youth- 
ful diflipationf  ?  And  what  mail  we  fay  of  that 

*  If.  XXIII,  10. 

f  Families  fupply  both  church  and  ftate:  and  if 
genuine  religion,  and  ltrict  morality,  be  wanting  there, 
lbciety  is  poifoned  at  the  fountain  head.  Through  difref- 
pect  to  family  religion,  the  young  grow  up  profoundly  igno- 
rant of  their  Creator,  and  uminpreifed  with  reverence  for 
his  law  ;  and  furely  we  cannot  expect  that  they  who  fear 
not  God,  will  regard  man.  Family  difcipline  alfo,  is  of 
the  utmoft  moment.  Parental  vigilance  and  care  form 
ufeful  members  of  the  community.    We  have  no  right  t» 


(  30  ) 

profligacy  of  principle  and  manners,  which  is 
every  where  obfervable.  Who  "  rifcs  up  before 
the  hoary  head,  and  honors  the  face  of  the  old 
man*  ?"  On  the  contrary,  are  not  the  aged  often 
treated  with  difrefpect  ;  the  maxims  of  wifdom 
ridiculed,  and  the  counfels  of  experience  def- 
pifed  ?  Are  there  not  multitudes  who  fcarccly 
behave  with  common  civility  to  the  magiftrate 
whom  God  has  commanded  us  to  revere  ?  Are 
not  intemperence,  impurity,  and  debauchery 
hardy  enough  to  face  even  the  light  ?  Do  we 
not  hear  repeatedly  of  the  lawlefs  ramble,  and 
the  midnight  revel  ?  Are  not  thefe  deeds  of 
darknefs  and  ebfeenky  deemed,  by  too  many, 

flutter  ourfclves,  that  difonlcrly,  difobedient,  uncontroled 
children,  will  become  good  citizen:..  To  a  crimin:;!,  a 
very  criminal  inattention  in  thefe  two  particulars,  may  be 
afcribed,  in  a  great  meafure,  that  triHing  character,  and 
that  vicious  condudt,  which  mark  the  fopling  and  the  rake, 
and  of  which  the  pious  and  the  obferving  fo  generally, 
and  fo  juftly,  complain.  Vain  are  the  wifcit  laws  without 
'.  irtuoui  habits  ;  and  thefe  habits  mull  be  formed  in  early 
life.  Where  the  revcrfe  obtains,  the  energy  of  law  mull 
ncceflarily  be  enfeebled,  and  ihe  arm  of  Jultice  unnerved. 
But  although  the  fear  of  public  ignominy,  Jhould,  in  moft 
cafes  (for  fometimes  it  certainly  does  i.ot)  rclirain  from  the 
commifllon  of  enormous  outrages ;  it  will  be  but  a  {lender 
proof  oi"  focial  probity,  that  the  tenors  of  penal  ltatutes 
are  barely  fufficient  to  keep  men  fi  cm  the  gallows. 

*  Lev.  xix,  32. 


(  Ji  ) 


the  marks  of  a  generous  fpirit  ?  And  thofe  who 
will  not  "run  to  the  fame  excefs  of  riot"  vilified 
as  contracted  bigots  or  fuperftitious  fools  ? 

In  what  manner  is  the  SABBATH  obferved  ? 
tc  Remember,9*  is  the  divine  injunction,  remem- 
ber "the  Sabbath-day  to  keep  it  holy."  Is  it,  in- 
deed, kept  holy  ?  Do  men,  indeed,  "  call  the 
Sabbath  a  delight,  the  holy  of  the  Lord,  honora- 
ble?" Do  they  "  honor  him,  not  doing  their  o  wn 
ways,  nor  finding  their  own  fleajure,  nor  fpeak:ng 
their  own  words*  ?"  Do  not  many  wafte  the  day 
in  idlenefs  ?  Are  not  fome  fo  indolent  or  carnal, 
or  both,  that  they  will  not  wait  upon  God,  that 
day,  in  the  ordinances  of  his  grace  ?  Or  that 
they  too  frequently  allow  their  feats  to  be  vacant 
atleaft  one  half  of  the  day  ?  Or  efteem  any  pre- 
text weighty  enough  to  excufe  their  abfence  from 
the  fanctuary  ?  Let  none  hope  to  palliate  their 
conduct  by  pretending  that  they  improve  them- 
felves  at  home.  It  is  altogether  incredible,  that 
he  who  will  not  fanctify  the  Sabbath  in  God's 
houfe,  will  fanctify  it  in  his  own.  This  profa- 
nation of  the  Sabbath  is  truly  deplorable ;  but 


*  If.  LVI1I,  13. 


(  3*  ) 

in  not  a  few  inftances  the  profanation  is  fti!l  mofc? 
grofs.  Do  not  fome  make  it  a  day  cf  bufinefs  ? 
Others  a  day  of  itraftihg  ?  And  othrrs  a  day  of 
vifiting  and  amufement  ?  Have  not  falutai  y  laws 
been  enacled  to  protect  the  Sabbath  from  this 
open  and  flurhefciTs  indignity*  ?  Do  our  citizens 
regard  thefe  laws  ?  Do  our  magiftrates  find  fault 
with  the  breach  of  them  ?  Whatever  be  the  opi- 
nions of  men,  the  Lord  God  will  net  fufFer  this 
iniquity  to  pafs  unpunifhed  ;  for  he  has  fworn 
"if  ye  Will  not  hearken  unto  me  10  HALLOW  THE 
SABBATH-HAY,— then  will  I  kindle  a  fire  m 
your  gates,  and  it  /ball  devour  y  cur  palaces-\." 

*  Sec,  in  the  laws  of  the  State  of  New-York,  an  act 
pafled  Feb.  23,  1788.    Vol.  2.  p.  89 — 91,  of  Grecnleaf's 

edition. 

f  Jerem.  xvn,  27.  The  enforcement  of  the  obferva- 
ticn  of  the  Sabbai.h,  by  civil  authority,  cannot  be  viewed 
as  an  unwarranted  interference  of  the  magistrate  in  mat- 
ters of  religion,  or  an  infringement  of  the  rights  of  con- 
ference. I  or  refpect  to  this  divine  inftitution,  is  a  point  in 
which  all  denominations  of  Chriflians  are  agreed.  Apart 
from  Chriftian  principle,  the  due  observation  of  the  Sab- 
bath has  the  happieft  influence  upon  civil  icciety  as  fuch  ; 
and  therefore  it  merits  themoft  vigilant  and  unintermit- 
ted  attention  of  the  civil  magilhate.  "  It  has  been  obferv- 
**  cd  by  the  wifeft  men,  that  were  the  celebration  of  this 
"  weekly  feftival  totally  neglected,  Religion  would  not 
"long  lurvive  its  dii'ufe."  (Venn's  trails,  p.  i~o.J  And 
no  fociety  can  exiit  without  religion  ;  becaufe  the  members 
of  it  can  have  no  hold  upon  each  other.    On  proper  cn- 


<  33  ) 


What  reception  is  given  to  the  everte<ling 
gofpel  ?  "  Who  hath  believed  our  report,  and  to 

quiry,  it  would  perhaps  appear  ;  it  has,  in  fadl,  appeared, 
that  a  great  majority  of  thofe  unhappy  men  who  are  aban- 
doned to  infamy,  or  who  terminate  their  days  in  a  facri- 
fice  to  public  jultice,  commenced  the  career  of  their  crimes 
with  the  violation  of  the  Sabbath.  "  Confider  thofe  who 
"  help  to  fill  the  jails,  and  furniih  die  gallows,  and  it  will 
"be  found  (upon  their  own  confeffion)  they  are  fuch  as 
"  have  neglected  die  obfervation  of  the  Lord's  day,  by  fol- 
"  lowing  their  own  pleafures."  ( Sabbatum  redhivum, 
p.  660.  J  To  thefe  remarks  may  be  added  a  fhort  extract 
from  a  pamphlet  lately  publifhed.  It  is  too  much  in  point 
to  be  omitted,  and  too  excellent  to  need  an  apology.  "  One 
Chriftian  inftitution  alone,"  fays  the  ingenious  audior, 
the  fanclification  of  the  Chrifiian  Sabbath,  chjjbfes  a  more 
benign  influence  on  fociety,  and  has  a  greater  efficacy  on  the 
morals  of  mankind  to  purify  and  refine  them,  than  all  the 
mftitutions  of  civil  policy,  or  terrors  of  civil  government, 
put  together.  The  paufei  it  creates  in  human  tranfacUons  ; 
the  interruptions  it  makes  in  our  worldly  cogitations,  and 
earthly  cares  ;  its  fixing,  or  keeping  alive  in  the  mind,  the 
imprefiions  of  a  God  infinitely  great  and  dreadful,  whofe 
we  are,  and  to  whom  we  mufl  be  accountable  for  all  our 
ways  ;  and  who  will  molt  dreadfully  punilli  the  wicked, 
and  plentifully  reward  the  good ;  its  tendency  to  keep 
conftantly  in  our  view,  the  immortality  of  the  foul,  and  a 
future, ftate  of  retribution  ;  its  being  ccnnedcd  with  iiich 
religious  fervices  as  reading  the  holy  fcriptures,  in  which 
die  moft  auguft,  grand,  and  awfully  fublime  ideas  of 

the  Almighty  are  exhibited  Its  relation  to  the  infinite 

love  of  Chrift  to  mankind — and  the  peremptory  and  awful 
injunctions  of  this  Divine  Savior,  that  men  love  one  an- 
other— together  with  our  joining  in  folemn,  heart-feli. 
^applications,  confefilons  and  thankfgivings  at  the  throne 
of  grace ;  thefe  things,  I  believe,  have  had,  and  ftill 
have,  an  efficacy  on  the  minds  of  the  great  body  of  the 
people  in  Ciiriilian  nations,  I  was  almoft  going  to  fay,  in- 

E 


(  34  I 


nvhtfi  is  the  arm  of  the  Lord  revealed^  .?"  Who 
t*fiy  as  a  cloudy  and  as  doves  to  their  windrws  §  ?" 
"Who  glories  in  the  crofs  of  Chrift  ?  Who  takes 
refuge  from  thr  curie  of  the  law,  in  his  cove- 
nant righteoufnefs  ?  Who  bends  the  knee  to  a 
JanElifying  Savior  ?  Whole  holy  ambition  fpurns 
the  dregs  of  earth,  and  foars  to  the  kingdom 
above?  Where  are  thofe  "  crowns  of  glory,  the 
hoary  heads  found  in  the  way  to  righteoufnefs**  V 

finitely  great — and  I  firmly  believe,  that  no  man  whoever 
became  very  vile  and  profligate*  could  pofliUly  be  fo,  till 
he  renounced  all  iblemn  and  lcrious  attention  to  the  Lord'* 
day.  A  qaeftaOA  has  ibme  time  employed  my  thoughts, 
what  in  human  nature  it  is  that  will  account  in  a  rational 
manner,  for  the  generally  extreme  wickednefs  of  foldiers 
and  iailors  ■  The  true  folution  of  the  problem,  I  be- 
lieve is  this.  They  do  not  Carefully  obferve  the  Lord's 
day:  they  have  no  opportunity,  or  very  little,  of  attend- 
ing the  worlhip  of  God  :  confequcntly  the  imprcnTions  of 
a  God  ;  of  the  worth  of  their  fouls  ;  the  evil  of  fin  ;  and 
the  infinite  importance  of  a  future  ftate,  arc  cither  very 
faint  in  their  minds,  or  perhaps  in  fome,  fcarccly  cxiftent. 
In  this  refpeft,  the  inftitutior.s  of  Chriftianity  have  a  mo  ft 
benign  influence  on  foclety  ;  and  wife  rulers,  who  with  ra- 
ther to  prevent  crimes  than  to  puniih  them,  •will  take  care, 
b'jfb  by  precept  and  example,  to  promote  tbe  fanftif cation  of  the 
Chrijlian  Sabbath. — This  is  the  beft  fecurity  of  our  life, 
property,  and  liberty.  This  is  like  the  wings  of  the  Al- 
mighty fpread  over  us.  No  man,  who  confcientioufly, 
and  with  knowledge,  fanctifics  the  Sabbath,  will  find  a 
liberty  in  his  mind  to  injure  us  through  the  week. — This 
is  God's  ihadow  extended  over  us  ;  it  is  Heaven's  pro- 
tection." (A  concife  and  faithful  narrative,  &c.  p.  68 — "jc.) 

f  If.  li j i,  i.  §  lx,  8.  **  Prov.  xti,  31. 


C  35  ) 

Where  the  hcpefulyouth  who  dedicate  themfelves 
to  the  Lord  God  of  their  fathers :  and  who  are 
not  afliamed  of  Jcfus  and  his  words  before  a  ' 
crooked  and  perverfe  generation  ?  >. 

On  the  contrary,  what  is  the  frequent  treat- 
ment of  the  bible  ?  This  blefTed  bible  which  un- 
folds the  counfels  of  Heaven,  and  proclaims  the 
glad  tidings  of  falvation  ?  Is  it  not  defpifed  as 
the  parent  of  enthufiafm,  and  calumniated  as  the 
offspring  of  fraud  ?  Are  not  the  exercifes  of  that 
ferious  godlinefs  which  it  infpires,  which  purifies 
the  human  mind  j  and  ennobles  the  human  cha- 
racter, reviled  as  the  whine  of  fanaricifm,  or  the 
cant  of  impofture  ?  Is  not  infidelity  the  fajhi 'on  ? 
Is  not  the  profeflion  of  a  Chriftian  thought  to  de- 
grade the  dignity  of  a  gentleman  ?  Is  not  the  bold 
blafphemer  of  the  holy  oracles,  admired,  by 
many,  as  a  man  of  genius?  Is  not  the  rude  and 
impious  jeer,  at  all  which  the  wife  and  the  good 
hold  facred,  applauded  for  wit  ?  Is  not  the  paltry 
witticifm,  if  it  be  but  levelled  againft  religion, 
complimented  with  the  name  of  invincible  argu- 
ment ?  Does  not  every  unfledged  fciolift ;  every 
ignorant  retailer  of  thefophifms  of  a  Hume,  or 


(  3*  ) 

the  quibbles  of  a  Voltaire,  fetupfor  a  philofi}- 
pher,  and  think  himfclf  entitled  to  laugh  at  the 
faith  of  the  faint  ?  Is  not  the  progrefs  of  princi- 
ples fo  pernicious,  an  awful  fymptom  of  deep 
degeneracy  ?  And  is  not  the  fact  as  notorious  as 
it  is  diftrefling  ?  "  Jf  it  be  not  Jo  now,  who  will 
make  me  a  liar>   and  make  my  fpeech  nothing 

wenb*  r 

W.'ien  we  turn  our  eyes  from  thefe  miferable 

rr.ortr.k  who  cany  the  maik  of  Hell  in  their 

foreheads,  and  furvey  the  generality  of  profefled 

believer?,  is  there  nut  reafen  to  fear  that  a  large 
propoition  of  them  have  only  "a  name  to  live  x 

while  they  are  dead\  ?"  How  many  call  themr 
felvcs  Chrifiianft  while  their  whole  deportment 
proves  that  they  are,  in  truth,  the  enemies  of 
Chrift  ?  No  fubjeel  fo  tedious  and  irkfome  as  re- 
deeming love.  Speak  to  them  of  the  ideal  fcenes 
of  a  romance,  and  they  are  all  attention  and  ac- 
tivity. But  fpeak  of  the  fweet  realities  of  the 
gofpel  j  of  the  height,  the  depth,  the  length, 
the  breadth,  of  the  love  of  Chrift,  and  immedi- 
ately they  are  languid  and  liftlefs.    Set  before 

*  Job  xxit,  25.  +  Rev.  in,  1. 


(  37  ) 

them  the  fooleries  of  the  ftage,  and  their  bofoms 
will  be  agitated  with  alternate  and  violent  emo- 
tions. Now  they  will  be  foftened  into  pity,  or 
roufed  into  rage :  Anon,  they  will  melt  in  grief, 
or  be  tranfported  with  joy.  But  conduct  them 
to  Calvary  :  Shew  them  that  real  tragedy  which 
clothed  all  heaven  in  fackcloth — Shew  them  a 
bleeding  Savior — Shew  him  ftretched  on  the  ac^ 
curfed  tree  ;  bowing  in  agony  his  guiltlefs  head ; 
and  pouring  out  his  foul  unto  death,  a  victim  to 
divine  wrath,  a  facrifice  for  fin  ;  and  they  will  be 
cold  and  unfeeling  as  a  (lone.  Not  a  pang  of 
remorfe  will  (hoot  through  the  flinty  heart,  nor 
a  tear  of  contrition  flea!  down  the  iron  cheek. 

Do  even  thedifciples  of  Jefus,  who  love  him 
in  fincerity,  walk  as  he  alio  walked  ?  Do  they 
live,  as  habitually  as  they  ought,  by  faith,  and 
not  by  fight  ?  Do  they  improve,  as  they  are 
bound,  the  precious  promifes  ?  Do  they  apply 
to  the  fulnefs  which  is  laid  up  for  them  in  their 
new  covenant  head  ?  Are  congregations  entirely 
free  from  thofe  iniquities  for  which  the  Lord  is 
vifiting  our  land  ?  Are  there  no  minifterial  tranf- 
greflions  ?  Yes,  my  brethren,  the  kumiliating 


(  ;>»  ) 

truth  mult  be  told,  "  the  Lcrdis  righltous,  land 
my  people  have  finned." 

It  is,  therefore,  undeniable  that  the  Lord  is 
fpeaking  to  us  in  wrath,  and  that  his  controverfy 
is  holy  and  juft.    Let  us,  then,  attend,, 

SECONDLY,  To  the  duty  which  our  cir~ 
cumftances  and  our  text  point  out ;  and  that  ij 
to  plead  witli  him  for  mercy. — 0  Lord,  in  vsratb. 
remember  mercy  I      '  . 

Here  it  is  requifite  to  elucidate  fome  of  thofe 
principles  which  the  petition  implies ;  and  at  the 
temper  with  which  we  fhould  employ  it. 

i.  With  refpeft  to  the  principles  of  the 
petition.  * 

It  plainly  implies  that  there  is  mercy,  par- 
doning mercy,  which  may,  confidently  with 
both  the  divine  attributes,  and  the  divine  govern- 
ment, be  freely  communicated  to  the  finner. 

Dreary,  my  brethren,  would  be  our  prof- 
peel,  and  rhifcrable  our  confolation,  were  it  ab- 


(  39  ) 

folutely  ncceffary  for  the  God  whom  we  have 
offended  to  reward  us  exactly  according  to  our 
deferts  :  Then,  indeed,  might  we  clofe  our  eyes 
on  peace,  and  lie  down  in  forrow.  "  If  thou, 
Lord,  Jhouldft  mark  iniquity ;  O  Lord  who  could 
Jland*  ?"  Certainly  we  could  not  Hand ;  we, 
whofe  conduct  has  been  little  elfe  than  a  feries  of 
tranfgreffions  ;  and  whofe  crimes  have  been  at- 
tended with  every  hateful  circumftance  which  can 
aggravate  guilt,  or  encreafe  punifhment.  Una- 
ble to  anfwer  our  Judge  "  one  of  a  thoufand"  of 
the  accufations  he  may  bring  againft  us,  if  we 
attempt  to  "  Jujlify  curfelves,  cur  own  mouths 
will  condemn  us\ "  But,  glory,  eternal  glory, 
be  to  God  in  the  higheft  !  There  is  FORGIVE- 
NESS with  him  that  he  may  be  feared^,.  There 
is  a  Savior  for  whofe  righteoufnejs  fake  the  Father 
is  well  fleafed.  Through  this  Savior  we  may 
fafely  approach  that  inflexible  juftice,  and  un- 
lpotted  purity,  which  are  otherwife  a  confuming 
fire.  Our  condition,  therefore,  though  fad,  is 
not  hopelefs.  We  are  guilty,  indeed,  but  not 
wholly  call  off:  We  are  afflicted,  'tis  true,  but 
net  abandoned  to  defpair.    How  great,  how  un- 


*  Pf.  exxx,  3.       f  Job  ix,  20. 


X  Pf.  exxx,  4—7. 


(  46  ) 

equalled  foever  our  provocations  have  been,  we 
are  encouraged  to  hope  in  the  Lord,  for  with  the 
Lord  there  is  mercy,  and  with  him  there  is  -plenteous 
redemption*. 

But,  it  may  be  afked,  "Is  there  any  reafon 
for  us  to  hope  when  we  are  vifibly  the  objc&s  of 
the  divine  difpleafure  ?"  May  we  repair  to  mer- 
cy's throne,  when  (lighted  mercy  has  kindled  the 
vengeful  flame  ?"  We  may,  for  our  text  farther 
implies,  'float  the  pt  ejtnt  wrath  of  God,  is  no  eb- 
firuclion  tc  the  cxercife  of  his  mercy. 

This,  the  very  prayer  of  Habakkuk,  which 
was  penned  under  the  influence  of  the  Holy  One, 
manifeftly  fuppofes.  This  is  fuppofed  by  all  the 
prayers  which,  the  fcripture  informs  us,  were 
directed  to  Heaven  for  deliverance  from  affliction. 
This  is  fuppofed  by  the  defign  of  all  God's 
wrathful  difpenfations,  which  are  intended  not 
only  to  c  err  eel  man,  with  rebukes,  for  his  iniquity -\ ; 
but  to  humble  the  arrogance  of  his  fpirit — to 
teach  him  his  entire  and  univerfal  dependence 
upon  the  One  Supreme — to  create  in  his  mind 


*  Pf.  exxx,  4—7 


f  Pf.  XXXIX,  II. 


(  41  ) 

religious  fenfibility — and  bring  the  thanklefs  pro- 
digal back  to  the  God  from  whom  he  has  deeply 
revolted*.    I  will  go,  fays  Jehovah  by  his  pro- 
phet, and  return  to  my  place,  till  they  acknowledge 
their  offence,  and  Jeek  my  face  :  In  their  afflitlion 
they  will  Jeek  me  early\.    This  fame  principle  is 
fuppofed  by  his  own  pofitive  injunction,  record- 
ed in  the  prophecy  of  Joel :  Therefore  alfo  now, 
faith  the  Lord,  turn  ye  even  to  me  with  all  your 
heart ;  and  with  fafling,  and  with  weeping,  and 
with  mourning  ;  and  rend  your  heart  and  net  your 
garments,  and  turn  unto  the  Lord  your  God ;  for 
he  is  gracious  and  merciful,  flow  to  anger,  and  of 
great  mercy,  and  repenteth  him  of  the  evil.  Who 
knoweth  if  he  will  turn  and  repent,  and  leave  a 
bleffing  behind  him\.?    "  Peradventure  f  fhall 
live,"  is  higher  encouragement  than  the  belt  of 
us  merits :  Upon  this  peradventure  muft  a  finful 
man  make  an  experiment  of  the  divine  mercy 
for  the  falvation  of  his  foul,  and  a  finful  land  for 
her  deliverance  from  trouble — It  is  enough  for 
us  to  know,  that  God  can  be  juft  in  pardoning 
the  ungodly — It  is  enough  for  us  to  know  that 
Jefus  Chrift,  the  propitiation  for  fin,  hath  bro- 

*  If.  xxxi,  6.         f  Hof.  v,  15.         \  Joel  11,  12 — 14- 

F 


(  4*  ) 

ken  down  the  barriers  which  hindered  our  accefs 
to  God,  and  the  accefs  of  his  mercy  to  us ;  and 
hath  opened,  by  the  biood  of  Cavalry,  a  new 
and  living  ixay  to  the  Father.  From  the  invita- 
tion to  this  way  of  life,  none,  no  not  the  moft 
worthless  and  vile,  are  excluded.  Even  thofe 
who  are  Haves  of  corruption,  and  prifoners  of 
the  curfe,  are  exhorted  to  lay  hold  of  the  great 
falvation.  No  fins  can  fui  pals  i he  merit  of  our 
Lord  Jefus.  The  grace  of  God,  that  reigns  by 
his  crofs,  is  never  fo  gracious  ;  never  fihines  with 
fuch  glorious  fplcndor,  as  when  fhc  holds  back 
the  arm  of  juftice;  rufhes  through  the  fire  of 
wrath — fnatches  the  criminal  as  a  brand  out  of 
the  burning  ;  and  heaps  countlefs  blefimgs  on 
his  head. 

This  doctrine,  fo  rich  with  inftruction  and 
comfort,  we  fhould  never  forget.  It  is  at  all 
times  important;  at  all  times  needful.  Particu- 
larly in  fcafons  of  wrath,  it  is  the  precious  doc- 
trine which  brightens  the  gloom  of  guilt,  and 
revives  expiring  hope.  The  prophet,  by  his 
own  example,  has  taught  us  the  truth,  and  how- 
to  employ  it  5  for  the  text  implies, 


(  43  ) 

LASTLY,  That  when  the  Lord  is  d:r!-';g 
with  us  in  wrath,  mercy  is  our  ONLY  plea. 

As  finners  we '  have  no  claim  of  right  to  any 
of  God's  benefits.  Fallen,  by  apoftacy,  from  our 
ftate  of  probation,  we  cannot  acquire,  by  our 
own  obedience,  a  title  to  the  bleflings  which  were 
promifedin  thccovenantof  works.  It  is,  therefore, 
of  infinite  momentto  our  moil  valuable  interefts, 
not  only  to  confefs  with  our  mouths,  but  to  feel 
in  our  hearts,  that  we  lie  at  mercy.  Above  all, 
upon  a  day  of  falling  and  humiliation,  it  illy 
accords  with  our  circumftances  and  profeffion, 
to  fofter  the  opinion,  that  God  will  forgive  our 
iniquities  and  receive  us  into  favor,  on  account 
of  our  fincere,  though  imperfect  fervices.  Who 
is  he,  that  preiumes  upon  the  fincerity  and  good- 
nefs  of  a  heart  which  thefpirit  of  infpiration  has 
pronounced  deceitful  above  ALL  things 3  and  def- 
ferately  wicked*  ?  Who  is  he,  that  would  offer 
to  his  Creator,  a  righteoufnefs  which  has  been 
rejected  already  as  filthy  rags\?  Know,  vain 
man,  that  every  expectation  which  does  not  reft 
upon  mercy,  mere  mercy,  undeferved  mercy, 


Jer.  xvn,  gt, 


+  If.  LX1V,  6. 


(  44  ) 


is  more  periPning  than  the  fleeting  cloud.  Thou 
muft  bow  to  fovercignty.  "  The  loftinefs  of  man 
fhall  be  brought  down,  and  the  haughtinefs  of  man 
JJjall  be  made  low,  and  the  Lord  alone  fijall  be  ex- 
alted*. Every  durable  comfort;  every  folid 
joy  ;  every  hope  that  will  abide  the  rude  fhock 
of  death,  or  the  burning  trial  of  the  Judgment- 
day,  is  built  upon  this  divine  aflu  ranee,  not 
that  with  us  there  is  merit,  but  that  with  the 
Lord  there  is  mercy. 

With  thefe  principles,  that  are  evidently  im- 
plied in  the  text,  is  intimitely  connected, 

i.  Ti:e  temper  with  which  it  becomes  us  to 
prefect  the  prayer  of  the  prophet. — 

If  we  admit,  (and  who  dares  deny  ?)  that  the 
Lord  is  fpeaking  to  us  in  wrath ;  and  that  our 
only  refuge  is  his  mercy  j  we  cannot  refill  the 
conviction,  that  an  effential  part  of  the  temper 
which  mould  influence  us  in  fuing  for  mercy,  con- 
fifts  in  an  ingenuous  confeffion  of  guilt. 

*  If.  n,  17. 


(  45  ) 


To  frame  excufes  for  our  rebellion  againft:  the 
majefty  in  the  heavens ;  or  to  foften  down,  by 
partial  tendernefs,  our  heinous  violations  of  the 
Divine  law,  difcovers  an  ignorant  mind,  and  an 
unhumbled  heart;  It  is,  in  effect,  to  fay,  the 
ways  of  the  Lord  are  not  equal*.  We  may,  in- 
deed, imagine  ourfelves  hardly  treated :  But  if 
we  compare  the  beft  of  our  fancied  claims  to  the 
indulgence  of  God,  with  the  tremendous  char- 
ges he  may  juftly  bring  againft  us,  the  lips  of 
murmur  will  be  filenced  ;  the  rifing  difcontent 
fuppreffed  ;  and,  overwhelmed  with  deep  confu- 
fion,  we  will  be  conftrained  to  acknowledge  the 
rectitude  of  Jehovah's  appointments.  The 
Judge  of  all  the  earthy,  who  invariably  does  right, 
muft  be  jujlified  when  he  fpeaketh,  and  be  clear 
when  he  judgeth\.  Before  his  equal  bar-  every 
mouth  /hall  be  flopped,  ■  and  all  the  world 
become  guilty  %.  Woe,  then,  to  him  that  Jlriveth 
with  his  maker \.  The  wifeft,  the  fafeft,  the 
moft  honorable  conduct,  in  this  hour  of  peril, 
is  to  humble  ourfelves  under  the  mighty  hand  of 
God^y  and  to  plead  guilty  to  the  heavy  accufa- 

*  Ezek.  xviii,  25.     f  Gen.  xvin,  25.     %  Pf.tr,  4 
$  Rom.  in,  19.       I)  If.  xlv,  9.      f  Pet.  v,  6. 


(  46  ) 

tipns  which  arc  written,  in  large  and  luminous 

characters,  on  his  providential  dealings.  He 
virtually  addrefles  us  in  this  piercing  language, 
Have  J  not  nourijhed  and  brought  you  up  as  children , 
and  have  ye  not  rebelled  againjl  me*  ?  If  we  act 
honeftly,  we  mufl:  reply,  Truth  Lord !  Did  I  not 
make  known  unto  you  my  holy  Sabbath,  and  com- 
mand you  precepts,  ftatutes,  and  laws,  and  give 
ycu  my  good  Jpirit  to  inftrutl  you  ;  and  have  ye  not 
been  difobedient,  and  cafi  my  law  behind  ycur  backs, 
and  wrought  great  provocations  ?  Truth  Lord  ! 
Did  I  not  deliver  ycu,  for  your  fins,  into  the  hand 
cf  ycur  enemies  who  vexed  you :  and  in  the  time  of 
ycur  trouble,  when  you  cried  unto  me,  did  I  not  hear 
ycu  from  heaven,  and,  according  to  my  manifold 
tmrcics t  give  ycu  Saviors,  who  faved  you  out  of  the 
hand  of  your  enemies  ;  and  after  you  had  reft,  did 
you  not  do  evil  again  before  me  ?  Truth  Lord  ! 
"Thou  art  juft  in  all  that  is  brought  upon  us  ;  for 
thou  haft  done  right,  but  we  have  done  wickedly  : 
Neither  have  our  rulers,  our  magiftrates,  our 
priefts,  nor  our  citizens,  kept  thy  law,  nor  heark- 
ened unto  thy  commandments ;  for  they  have  not 
ferved  thee  in  the  large  and  fat  land  which  thou 

*  If.  I,  2. 


(  47  ) 

gavejl  them  ;  neither  turned  they  from  their  wicked 
works  *. 

But  let  us  not  fuppofe,  my  brethren,  that  we 
fulfil  our  duty  by  a  general  confeffion  of  guilt. 
We  plead  not  for  mercy  with  a  proper  temper, 
unlefs  we  individually  bring  home  the  charge  of 
guilt  to  our  own  confeiences.  Our  national  fins 
are  enormous  ;  their  oy  afcends  up  to  the  very 
heavens :  and  we  all  have  had  our  fhare  in  them. 
Let  us  every  one  turn  his  eyes  in  upon  his  own 
heart,,  and,  willing  to  know  the  worft  of  his  cha- 
racter, afk,  with  folemn  impartiality,  **  What 
have  I  done-f  ?"  There  is  no  citizen  prefent, 
who  will  not  find,  upon  fair  enquiry,  that  he  has 
abundant  reafon  to  fay,  not  only  as  a  man,  but 
as  an  American,  God  be  merciful  to  ME  a  finner  t. 
The  public  iniquity,  is,  in  fact,  an  accumula- 
tion of  private  tranfgreffions.  They  are  the 
drops  of  individual  contrition,  which  conftitute 
the  flood  of  national  repentance  ;  and  if  we  ex- 
pect ever  to  fee  a  general  reformation,  we  mult 
pray  every  one  for  himfelf,  O  Lord,  in  wrath  re- 
member mercy. 

*  Neh.  throughout.     f  Jer.  yiii,  6.     J  Luke  xtiii,  13 


(  48  ) 


THESE  reflections  leads  us  directly  to  obferv*; 
that  a  part,  a  chief  part,  of  the  temper  which 
fhould  predominate  in  cur  applications  to  the 
mercy  fear,  is  a  fcrverTt  defire,  that  the  Lord 
would  remove  from  us  firft  of  all,  the  guilt  for 
which  he  is  now  punifhing  us. 

It  our  humiliation,  this  day,  proceeds  from  a 
dread  of  evil,  rather  than  from  a  cordial  hatred 
of  the  fin  which  is  the  parent  of  all  evil,  w'e 
meek  God ;  we  wound  our  own  fouls ;  we  pre- 
pare for  ourfelvcs  a  more  terrible  condemnation. 
The  God  of  hclinefs  will  never  deem  himfelf 
honored  by  the  feigned  devotion  of  thofe  who 
roll  Jin  as  a  Jwett  morjtl  under  their  Ungues. 
Who  grieve,  not  becaufe  he  is  offended  and  in- 
tuited* but  becaufe  they  are  chaftifed — Who  are 
deterred  from  the  indulgence  of  their  lulls,  only 
by  the  fear  of  vengeance  i  and  who  will  probably 
return,  when  their  alarm  fubfides,  to  thofe  un- 
hallowed practices  which  they  now  affect  to  re- 
nounce. Unpardoned  fin  is  a  perennial  fource 
of  forrow :  and  it  is  but  a  fmall  confolation  to 
be  freed  from  an  exifting  plague,  while  an  angry 
cloud,  charged  with  ten  thoufand  woes,  hovers 


(  49  ) 

over  us,  and  threatens  every  moment  to  burft  in 
curfes  on  our  heads.  ^Acquaint  thyfelf  NOW 
■with  him  and  be  at  peace*  ;  hafte,  for  pardon,  to 
the  blood  of  fprinkling,  and  leave  it  to  the  wif- 
dom  and  fovereignty  of  God,  to  remove^  in  his 
own  good  time,  the  rod  of  affliction. 

Finally;  la  pleading  for  mercy,  we  fhould 
be  anxious  that  the  Lord  would  JanStify  his  pro- 
vidence i  that  is,  would  blefs  it  as  an  effectual 
mean  of  rendering  our  hearts  more  tender,  and 
our  lives  more  holy. 

Chastisements  unimproved,  fwell,  in  pro- 
portion to  their  feverity,  the  guilt  of  an  indivi- 
dual or  a  people;  and  are  a  prelude  to  calamities 
doubly  dreadful.  If  men  will  not  learn  right  e- 
mijnejs  when  God's  judgments  are  abroad  in  the 
earth — If  they  will  not  behold  the  majefty  of  the 
Lord\  ;  and  when  his  hand  is  lifted  up,  obfti- 
nately  refufe  to  fee  it;  he  may  fay,  in  righteous 
indignation,  Let  them  alone:  LET  THEM 
FILL  UP  THE  MEASURE  OF  THEIR 
INIQUITIES  :  And  what  the  confequencc  may 


*  Job  XXII,  21. 


G 


f  If.  XXVI,  If. 


■  (  50  ) 

be,  none  can  tell,  but  he  who  knows  perfectly 
the  evil  of  fin,  and  the  limits  of  his  own  for- 
bearance. Should  we  reveit  to  our  former  floth 
and  impiety,  after  this  folemn  warning  from  the 
God  of  Heaven,  our  condition  will  be  worfe, 
much  worfe,  than  before.  He  may,  indeed, 
permit  us  to  enjoy  tranquility  for  a  while  ;  but, 
in  the  mean  time,  he  is  ftoring  a  magazine  of 
fury.  If  his  unexampled  goodnefs  do  not  lead 
us  to  repentance,  we  will  treafure  up  to  our/elves 
wrath  againft  the  day  of  wra/h,  and  revelation  of 
the  righteous  Judgment  of  God*.  For  ought  we 
can  tell,  the  period  may  be  near,  when  feven 
thunders  mall  utter  our  doom;  and  feven  vials 
pour  out  upon  us  their  united  plagues.  In  the 
day  of  our  cli  ftrefs,  God  may  ftand  afar  off: 
When  we  Jpread  forth  our  hands,  he  ;nay  hide  his 
eyes  from  us  ;  yea,  when  we  make  many  prayers, 
he  may  not  hearj.  He  may  (hike  into  our  fouls 
the  chill  of  death,  by  addreffing  us  in  this  ftile 
of  affronted  patience,  Bee  aufe  I  called  and  ye  re- 
fused, I fir  etched  out  my  hand  and  no  man  regarded  : 
but  ye  have  Jet  at  nought  all  my  counfel,  and  would 
none  of  my  reproof ;  I  alfo  will  laugh  at  your  cala- 

*  Rom.  ii,  4,  5.  f  If.  1,  15- 


(  5*  ) 


mity  ;  I  will  mock  when  your  fearcometh:  When 
your  fear  tomeih  as  defclat'cyr,  and  your  dtfiru6Hm 
cometh  as  a  whirlwind ;  when  dijtrefs  and  pnguiffi 
come  upon  you*. 

The  fads  and  the  doctrines  on  which  we  have 
been  meditating,  fuggeft,  very  plainly^  the  im- 
provement we  ought  to  make  of  them. 

If  wrath  is  upon  us  from  the  Lord,  every  man 
of  reflection  will  feel  that  it  becomes  us  to  be 
very  ferious. 

My  brethren,  Goddoes  not  trifle  with  us,andhe 
will  not  permit  us  to  trifle  with  him.  His  govern- 
ment is  not  a  phantom,  nor  his  judgments  a  farce. 
Both  are  awful  realities :  Sooner  or  later  fhall  every 
accountable  creature  know,  that  the  former  cannot 
be  rejected,  nor  the  latter  defpifed,  with  impunity. 
The  divine  law  is  a  ferious  thing  :  fin,  which  is  a 
tranfgrefllonof  the  law,  is  alfo  a  ferious  thing:  and 
that  death  which  is  the  wages  of  fin,  is  as 
ferious  a  thing  as  either :  And  now,  that  we  have 
violated  the  law  ;  have  made  ourfelves  finners; 
are  obnoxious  to  the  penalty  of  the  law,  and 

*  Prov,  i,  24— -27. 


C  5*  ) 

have  befcre  our  ever,  a  fi^nal  proof  of  tho 
Lord's  anger  againfl:  the  very  fins  with  which  wc 
are  chargeable ;  furely,  furely  we  ought  to  be 
ferious.  To  be  careltfs  and  indifferent  when  the 
cry  of  anguifh  pierces  our  cars,  is  cruelty  :  To 
frolic  on  the  brink  of  ruin,  is  madnefs.  The 
fpirit  of  God  has  ma:ked  it  as  one  of  the  laft 
flagrs  of  human  obduracy,  when  men  have  the 
harp,  end  the  viol,  the  tabret,  and  the  pipe,  and 
wine,  in  their  feajls  ;  but  regard  not  the  doing  of 
the  Lord,  neither  ccnfidcr  the  operation  of  his 
hands*.  God  forbid  that  wc  mould  imitate  the 
folly  defcribed  by  the  prophet ;  M  And  in  that 
day"  a  day  of  wrath,  "  did  the  Lord  God  of  hcfls 
call  to  weeping,  end  to  mourning,  and  to  baldnefs, 
and  to  girding  iviih  Jackcloth  :  and  behold  joy  and 
gladnefs,  flaying  cxen,  and  killing  Jheep,  eating 
fiefh  and  drinking  ivine  ,"  a  conduct  which  pro- 
claimed more  loudly  than  any  words,  the  maxim 
of  the  libertine,  Let  us  eat  and  drink,  for  to- 
morrczv  me  pail  die.  May  the  woe  denounced 
againfl:  fuch  offenders,  penetrate  our  inmoft  fouls : 
Surely  this  iniquity  (hall  not  be  purged  from  you, 
TILL  YE  DIE,  faith  the  Lord  God  of  hcfls  j. 


*  XL  v,  12. 


f  If.  XXII,   12 — 14. 


(  53  ) 


BuTlet  none  miftake  the  intention  of  thefe  re* 
marks,  or  pervert  their  ufe.  If  we  are  called  from 
unfeafonable  inattention  and  levity,we  are  not  cal- 
led to  the  fullennefs,  the  gloom,  the  inaction,  of 
defpondence.  We  mud  be  ferious,  but  not  idle. 
And  one  of  the  mod  profitable  purpofes  for  which 
we  can  improvethefubjec~twe  have  been  confider- 
ing,  is,  a  JlriR  examination  of  our  own  characters. 

My  brethren,  the  difpenfations  of  divine  pro- 
vidence, proclaim,  as  with  the  voice  of  an  Arch- 
Angel's  trump,  Prepare  to  meet  thy  God,  O 
IJrael*.  Are  we  prepared  to  meet  him  in  con- 
fidence, and  with  comfort  ?  Paufe,  ye  votaries 
of  pleafure — Interrupt,  ye  gay,  the  round  cf 
vanity — Sufpend,  ye  men  of  bufinefs,  the  anx- 
ieties of  gain  ;  and  retreat,  for  a  while,  into 
your  own  bofoms :  Summon  your  confciences 
before  that  tribunal,  the  decifions  of  which  are 
all  according  to  truth ;  and  afk,  afk  folemnly, 
for  ye  know  not  how  foon  it  may  be  afked  at  the 
bar  of  God,  What  arrangements  have  ye  made 
for  an  eternal  world  ?  Amidft  all  your  acquire- 
ments, have  ye  obtained  the  one  thing  needful \  ? 


Amos  iv,  12. 


f  Luke  r,  42. 


(  54  ) 


Amidfl  all  your  purfuits,  have  ye  fought  firjl  the 
kingdom  of  God  and  his  right  eoujnefs*  ?  Arc  yc  in 
Chrift  Jefus-\  ?  Are  yejuftified  by  his  blood,  and 
fanttified  by  his  fpirit  ?  Have  ye  devolved  the 
whole  weight  of  your  acceptance  with  the  Father, 
of  your  perfevcrance  in  holinefs,  and  your  arrival 
at  glory,  on  him  who  is  able  to  Jave  to  the  utter- 
moft,  all  that  come  unto  God  by  him  \  ? 

To  thefe  interrogations  very  different  anfwers 
muft  be  given  by  two  clafles  of  hearers.  To 
each  of  them  our  fubject  furnifhes  a  fuitable 
exhortation.  To  thofe,  who  have  a  good  hope 
through  grace,  it  addrefies  the  command  of  the 
apoftle  Peter,  Give  all  diligence  to  make  your  call- 
ing, and your  eleclion  Jure%.  In  feafons  of  wrath 
it  is  peculiarly  needful  for  believers  to  have  their 
faith  ftrengthened  ;  their  title  to  their  inheritance 
fully  afcertained,  and  their  way  to  the  pofiefiion 
of  it  freed  from  all  obftruction :  Trim,  then, 
your  lamps,  ye  wife  virgins.  Gird  on  your  ar- 
mor, ye  foldiers  of  the  living  God :  Be  fober  : 
Be  vigilant**.    Watch  and  fray,  that  ye  enter- 

*  Matt,  vi,  33.       f  1  Cor.  1,  30.       %  Heb.  vn,  25. 
§  2  Pet.  1,  10.       **  2  Pet.  v,  8. 


(  55  ) 


not  into  temptation*.  Let  your  loins  be  girded 
about,  and  your  lights  burning  ;  and  ye  your/elves 
like  unto  men  that  wait  for  their  Lord — Blejfed  arc 
thoje  fervants,  whom  the  Lord  when  he  cometh 
frail  find  watching-f.  And  when  ye  fupplicate  for 
yourfelves,  intercede  for  your  fellow-citizens, 
with  whom  you  profefs  to  fympathize.  The  ef- 
fectual fervent  prayer  of  a  righteous  man  availeth 
much  \.  Say,  Spare  thy  people,  O  Lord,  and  give 
not  thine  heritage  to  reproach  §.  Say,  0  remember  not 
againjl  us  former  iniquities  :  Let  thy  tender  mer- 
cies fpeedily  prevent  us,  for  we  are  brought  very 
low.  Help  us  0  God,  of  our  Jalvation,  for  the 
glory  of  thy  name :  and  deliver  us  and  purge  away 
our  fins,  for  thy  name's  fake.  Let  the  fighing  of 
the  prifoner  come  up  before  thee ;  according  to  the 
greatnefs  of  thy  power,  pre/erve  thou  thofe  that 
fcem  apointed to  die\.  Intercede  for  your  coun- 
try :  Say,  Turn  us  again,  0  Lord  God  of  Rofts 
caufe  thy  face  to  fhine,  and  we  fhall  be faved^.  Say, 
Forgive  our  fin,  and  heal  our  land**.  Let  thy 
work  appear  unto  thy  fervants,  and  thy  glory  unto 

*  Mutt,  xxvi,  41.  f  Luke  xn,  35 — 37.  ^  James 
v,  16.  §  Joel  11,  17.  j|  Pf.  lxxix,  8 — 11 

Pf.  lxxx,  19.  **  2  Chr.  vn,  14. 


(  5<>  I 

their  children :  and  let  the  beauty  of  the  herd  our 
God  be  upon  us  :  and  eftabliflj  thou  the  work  of  our 
hands  ;  yea  the  work  of  our  hands  ejlablijh  thou  it*. 
Intercede  for  the  church  of  Chrift  :  Say,  Dogoed, 
in  thy  good  plecfr.re,  unto  Zion:  Build  thou  the 
walls  cf  Jerufalcm  f.  0  Lord,  revive  thy  work 
in  the  midjl  of  the  years ;  in  the  midjl  of  the  years 
make  know. :  In  wrath  renumber  mercy. 

To  thofe  who  arc  aliens  from  the  commonwealth 
ef  Jj'raely  and  fir  angers  to  the  covenant  cf  promife\, 
the  difpenfations  of  providence  fpeak  in  a  moft 
alarming  (Vile,  and  the  doctrine  of  the  text  offers 
ialutary  counfel.  V/ herewith  all,  my  brethren, 
will  TE  come  before  the  Lord,  and  bow  your/elves 
befefe  the  moft  high  God  ?  Unprovided  with  that 
robe  cf  right  eoujnejs,  and  theje  garments  of  falva- 
ticn^,  without  which  none  can  enter  the  palace 
of  the  King  |j,  what  will  ye  do  in  the  day  of 
viQtation  ?  Are  ye  able  to  contend  with  your 
Maker  ?  Are  ye  able  to  abide  the  fiercenejs  of  his 
anger  ?  O  Put  not  from  you  the  evil  day.  Mul- 
titudes, of  your  neighboring  city,  who  were  as 

*  Pf.  xc,  16,  17.  f  Pf.  Li,  18.  +  Eph.  n,  12. 
Mir.  VI,  6.       j  If.  lxi,  to.       ||  Pf.  jclv,  15. 


(  57  ) 


ftafeiefe  and  fecure  as  yourfelves,  have  been  htif- 
ricJ  away,  with  icarce  a  warning,  to  the  bar  of 
God.    What  aflurance  have  ye  that  this  (hall  not, 
very  ftiortly;  be  your  own  cafe  ?  Death  is  now 
doing  his  work  among  our  fellow-citizens  ;  and 
before  we  are  aware  he  may  come  up  into  cur  win- 
dows*.   Perhaps — God  grant  that  the  fear  be 
not  realized  1  Perhaps  the  deflroyer  has  already 
received  his  commillion  to  clear  thefe  feats  of 
their  ufelefs  pofielfrrs  ;  to  cut  down  the  cumber- 
ers  of  the  Lord's  vineyard  ;  and  to  cafl:  them 
into  the  fire.    My  brethren,  as  your  fouls  live, 
there  is  but  a  ftep  between  you  and  death  :  Cri- 
tical is  your  condition ;  and  precious  your  time. 
Hafte,  then,  flee  for  your  lives  ;  flee  from  the 
wrath  to  come !   "But  whither  fh  all  we  flee?" 
Whither?  To  the  mercy  feat !    To  the  blood  of 
fprinkling  which  fpeaheth  better  things  than  the 
blood  of  Abel.  T o  Jefus  the  mediator  of  the  new 
covenant  f .  Him  hath  God  exalted  to  be  a  prince  and 
a  Savior  to  give  repentance  unto  Ifraeland  remifiion 
of  fins  X'    This,  this  is  the  only  channel  through 
which  the  mercy  of  God  can  flow  to  the  Tinner  : 
For  there  is  no  other  name  given  under  heaven  among 

*  Jer.  ix,  21.  f  Hcb.  xii,  24.  %  Aft.  v,  31. 

H 


(  5*  ) 

men,  whereby  we  can  be  Javed*.  The  only  al- 
ternative is,  to  receive  the  Savior,  or  perifh.  Re- 
ceive him  without  delay.  Now  is  the  accepted 
time  ;  now  is  the  day  tf  Jalvaticn.  To  DAT  if 
ye  will  hear  his  voice,  harden  net  your  hearts  \. 
He  has  faid  that  7 hew  who  cone  to  him  he  will  in 
no  wife  cajl  out  ^.  Having  fuch  high  encourage- 
ment fallen  your  hope  on  his  atoning  blood ; 
throw  yourfelves  unrefei  vedly  upon  his  precious 
merits;  and  plead,  O  LORD,  in  wrath  remem- 
ber mercy.  Amen. 

*  Aft.  iv,  12.  f2Cor.  vi,  2  ;  Pf.  xcv,  7.   X  John  vi,  yj. 


THE 


END, 


APPENDIX. 


T 

HE  Author  lias  learnt,  that  fome  perlV^  whofe 
partiality  to  Greai-Biitain  will  not  permit  them  to  en- 
ter into  the  views  and  feelings  which  ought  to  predo- 
minate in  the  breaft  of  every  American  citizen*  have 
taken  umbrage  at  fome  fentences  in  page  9,  which  al- 
lude to  the  devaluation  committed  by  the  Eritifh  army. 
To  make  truth  and  duty  the  bafis  of  his  public  difcour- 
fes,  is  a  maxim  to  which  he  would  preferve  the  moft 
rigid  adherence  :  And  if  any  are  offended  at  him  for 
freely  declaring  the  one,  or  fulfilling  the  ether,  it  can- 
not be  helped.  It  never  has  been,  and  he  hopes  never 
fhall  be,  his  practice,  to  model  his  difcourles  upon  a 
previous  calculation  whom  they  may  pleafe,  or  whoni 
difpleafe.  He  has,  however,  reviewed,  with  cool  de- 
liberation, the  obnoxious  paffages  :  and  cannot  find, 
after  the  ftricteft  examination,  one  affertion  falfe,  or 
uncharitable,  or  unfeafonable  ;  and  therefore  is  not  at 
liberty  to  make  the  leaft  alteration.  But  while  the  con- 
fcioufnefs  that  he  has  faid  no  more  than  can  be  well  de- 
fended, or  was  exacted  by  fidelity  to  his  truft,  forbids 
him  to  apologile  ;  yet  refpeft  for  fome  whofe  judg- 
ment hb  reveres,  and  whofe  friendfhip  he  values,  in- 
duces him  to  explain.  Such  he  affures,  that  nothing 
was  farther  from  his  mind,  than  an  intention  to  wound 

the  feelings  of  any  perfon  whatever  that  he  throws 

no  national  reflection  ;  fenfible  that  fuch  reflections  are 
at  all  times  unjuft  and  illiberal  ;  and  that  among  the 
difmtercfted,  the  judicious,  and  the  unprejudiced, 
thofe  who  were  iixell  informed,  were,  even  in  Britain, 

the  friends  of  America  that  what  he  fays  even  of 

the  army,  is  meant  of  the  army  in  general.  There 
were,  he  is  happy  to  acknowledge,  fome  noble  excep- 
tions 5 — and  that  he  does  not  enter  into  the  merits  of  a 
political  controverfy,  but  fimply  ftates  matters  of  noto- 
rious facl.  He  muft  detain  the  reader  a  little  longer, 
while  he  vindicates  the  cxprefiions  themfelves,  as  well 
a#  the  fpirit  which  they  breathe  :  and  if  he  advance 


(  6o  ) 


any  things  which  ?rc!:s  like  political  difcuflion,  it  >s 

not  his  fault ;  he  is  compelled  to  do  it. 

The  army  deftined  to  fubdue  America,  he  P.i'.ed, 
?nd  rightly  ltiled,  a  tool  of  opprejfion.  Such,  {landing 
armies  have  always  been,  and,  in  the  nature 
of  things,  always  muft  be*.  It  is  nothing  but  the 
ta.-.icnci's  of  flavery,  or  the  fottifhnefs  of  prejudice, 
which  can  infpire  a  thinking  being  with  a  different  fen- 
timent.  Tljeir  who'*  hiitory,  from  their  firft  inftitu- 
tion  till  this  hcur,  is  little  elfe  than  the  hiflory  of  de- 
l^ruftive  machines  in  the  hands  of  intrigue  and  cruelty. 
And  whether  the  {landing  army  of  Britain  is  now  gui- 
ded by  better  principles,  or  employed  to  better  purpo- 
fes,  let  the  occurrences  of  every  day  atteft.  'ihat 
army,  with  refpect  to  America,  was  "hired  to  commit 
deeds  of  blood,  in  order  to  injure  furcefs  to  fchemes  of 
iniquity*'  Did  they  not  fight  for  their  pay,  and  becaufe 
they  were  ordered  to  fight  r  Were  they  not  fent  for  the 
exprefs  purpofe  of  cannonading,  2nd  bayonetting,  and 
burning  the  Americans  into  unconditional  fibrnffion  to 
arbitrary  meof  res  ?  And  was  not  that  fcheme  itfelf, 
jndepend  :'tly  on  any  other,  fuihciently  iniquitous  ? 
"Wi's  it  not  iniquitous,  to  trumple  under  foot  every 
principle  of  natural  right,  in  refufing  the  Americans  a 
voice  w  cn  their  cum  property  was  to  be  given  away  ? 
And  to  tear  from  their  hands  the  rewards  of  honeft 
induftry,  with  the  impcrioufnefs  of  mafters,  and  the 
rapacity  of  robbers  ?  If  this  was  not  iniquity,  it  will 
be  hard  to  find,  a  crime. 

Were  r.ot  multitudes  of  cur  citizens,  whofe  only 
fault  was  the  love  of  their  country,  the  love  of  juftice, 
"  driven from  their  homes  ?"  Were  they  not  ftripped  of 
their  ail,  and  reduced  from  eafe  and  affluence  to  extreme 
penury?  And  were  not  thofe  by  whom  they  were  thrown 
deftitute  upon  the  world,  and  who  feized  their  poffeffi- 
ons,  "  fons  of  plunder  ?"  In  die  name  of  common, 
fenfe,  what  were  they  ? 

•  See  "  an  argument  againft  a  ft;ndirg  army,"  in  Mojle'l  tracll, 
particularly  f.  236—142. 


(  61  ) 

"Were  not  c<  the  temp' es  of  the  living  God  ravaged 
gnd  -wrapped  in  fames  ?"  Every  one  knows  that  the 
Britifh  troops  betrayed,  on  almofl:  all  occafions,  the 
mod  implacable  virulence  againft  places  dedicated  to 
divine  worfhip,  and  againft  thofe  fervants  of  the  moll 
high  God,  who  there  (hewed  their  flocks  the  way  of  fal- 
vation.  "  In  the  courfe  of  the  war,  they  utterly  deftroy- 
ed more  than  FIFTY  places  of  public  worfhip,  in 
thefe  States.  Mod  of  them  they  burnt  :  others  they 
levelled  with  the  ground,  and  in  fomc  places  left  not  a 
veftige  of  their  former  f.tuaticn ;  while  th?y  have 
wantonly  defaced,  or  rather  deftroyed  others,  by  con- 
verting them  into  barracks,  jails,  hofpitals,  riding- 
fchools,  &c.  Bofton,  Newport,  Philadelphia,  and 
Charleilon,  all  furnifhed  melancholy  inftances  of  this 
proftitution,  and  abufe  of  the  houfcs  of  God.  And 
of  the  nineteen  places  of  public  worfhip  in  this  city, 
when  the  war  began,  there  were  but  nine  fit  for  ufe, 
when  the  Britifh  troops  left  it*.  And  were  not  the 
men  who  cou'd  be  guilty  of  fuch  conduct,  "  wretches  ?" 
Who  can  tell  whether  more  w  fenfclefs"  or  "  impious  r" 

Of  what  kind  were  the  tranfactions  of  this 
fame  army  when  they  traverfed  tne  Jerfeys  ?  "Ma- 
ny thousands  ©f  the  inhabitants  received  printed 
proteBiotiSy  fgied  by  order  of  the  commander  in 
chief.  But  neither  the  proclamations  of  the  commiffi- 
oners,  nor  protections,  faved  the  people  from  plunder, 
any  more  than  from  infult.  Their  property  was  taken 
or  deftroyed  without  diftmction  of  perfens  •,"  and  this 
with  their  protections  in  their  hands  :  "The  goodly 
example  was  fet  by  officers  and  general  officers.  "The 
foldiery,  both  Britifh  and  foreigners,  were  fhamefully 
permitted,  with -unrelenting  hand,  to  pillage  friend  and 
foe,  in  the  Jerfeys.  Neither  age  nor  fe>:  was  fpared. 
Infants,  old  men  and  women,  were  left  in  their  fhirts, 
without  a  blanket  to  cover  them,  under  the  inclemency 
of  winter.    Every  kind  of  furniture  was  deftroyed  and 


*  See  the  note  t->  p.  26  of"  the  judicious  thanlcfgiving  fermon  preached 
ty  thsRev.  Dr.  Rodders,  cn  the  nth  of  Dec.  1783. 


(  6*  ) 

burnt :  windows  ami  doors  were  broken  to  pieces  in 
fhort,  the  houfes  were  left  uninhabitable,  and  the  peo- 
ple without  provifion,  for  every  horfc,  cow,  ox  and 
fowl,  was  carried  off*."  Was  not  the  lhamelefs  vio- 
lation of  faith  publicly  plighted,  "perfidy?"  W<_re  not 
villainies  like  thefe,  "  vmmCe  ?,x  And  the  men  who 
could  perpetrate  them,  in  the  fullcft  fenfe  of  the  word, 
M  banditti  ?"  It  is  plain,  then,  that  the  author,  while 
he  has  fpoken  truth,  has  not  fpoken  half  the  truth. 
Many  other  feats  of  a  fimilar  kind  he  might  have 
mentioned  ;  he  might  have  adverted  to  the 
butchery  of  prifoners  in  cold  blood  :  he  might 
have  touched  on  the  hiftory  of  fugar-houfes  and 
prifon-fhips,  &c.  but  he  delights  not  to  dwell  on  thefe 
fcenes  of  horror  :  and  therefore,  as  he  could  not,  con- 
fidently with  his  duty,  omit  noticing  the  miferies  of 
the  war,  he  expreffed  hirnfelf  m  general  terms.  Tt  is 
to  no  purpofe  to  fay,  as  it  may  be  faid,  that  this  is  a 
fubjeft  on  which  the  bed  of  men  have  differed,  and 
will  ever  differ.  Granted  ;  but  let  it  be  remembered, 
that  thofc  good  men  who  were  on  different  fides  of  the 
t/uejliotty  were  alfo  on  different  fides  of  the  Atlantic 
Among  the  pious  and  the  devout  in  this  country,  there 
was,  generally  fpcaking,  but  one  fentiment.  The 
opinions  of  the  beft  of  men,  who  were  3000  mWes 
from  the  fcene  of  action,  and  whofe  confidence  in 
their  government  was  abufed  by  a  perpetual  {lander  on 
the  principles  and  conduct  of  the  Americans,  can  be 
•f  no  weight  at  all.  Bcfides,  the  point  before  us,  is 
not  a  matter  of  opinion,  but  of  fact ;  and  the  opinion 
of  no  man  could  either  replace  the  property,  or  reflore 
the  lives,  of  our  citizens. 

With  refpe£l  to  the  fpirit  which  the  eKpreflions 
under  confideration  breathe,  it  proper  to  remark,  that 
thrv  were  defigned  not  to  provoke  bitternefs,  or  to  en- 
kindle refentment ;  but  to  awaken  recollection.  They 

»  GorrlflrTj  American  War,  v»1.  z,  p.  179.    Ran.  do. 

p.  326,  52;. 


(  *3'J 


Can  be  fully  fupported  by  fcripture  principle,  and  fcrip- 
ture  precept,  and  fcripture  example.  The  fcripture 
principle  on  which  they  are  advocated,  is  the  wife  im- 
provement of  God's  judgments  and  mercies.  But  how 
can  they  be  improved,  if  we  bury  them  in  oblivion  ? 
How  can  we  duly  appreciate"  a  mercy,  if  we  do  not  pre- 
ferve  a  lively  fenfe  of  the  evil  from  which  that  mercy 
delivered  us  ?  It  is  impoflible.  The  miferies,  there- 
fore, which  we  fuflefed  during  the  war  mujt  be  remem- 
bered, and  mentioned,  and  dtfeourfed  of;  and  the 
American  who  forgets  or  overlooks  them,  is  a  traitor  to 
the  God  who  faved  his  country.  For  this  reafon  the 
lawlefs  behavior  of  the  Britilh  army,  was  purpofely  de- 
fcribed  in  forcible  language.  Sinc^  the  more  horrible 
were  their  outrages,  the  heavier  was  the  judgment  upon 
this  land  ;  the  more  fignal  her  deliverance,  and,  of 
courfe,  the  more  crimiiTal  her  fubfequent  ingratitude. 

Scripture  precepts,  by  which  the  author  is  war- 
ranted to  fpeak  as  he  has  fpoken,  may  be  found  in 
Deut.vi,  12 — 20 — 23   Ex.  x,  2  ;'Deut.  xxxi,  26;  Sec. 

and  fcripture  example — throughout  the  bible  And 

why  any  Britons,  above  all  others,  Ihould  be  offended, 
is  truly  myfterious.  No  people  on  earth  record  more 
carefully,  or  repeat  more  frequently  and  feelingly,  their 
eiun  fufferings,  than  they.  Do,  reader,  take  the  trou- 
ble to  look  into  fome  of  the  revolution  and  faft-day  fer- 
mons,  which  have  been  preachedin  Britain  ;  &you  will 
fee  the  tyranny,  the  cruelty,  and  thejnultiplied  horrors, 
of  Popery,  painted  in  colors  blackenough.  Hervey  him- 
felf,  in  whom  were  united  all  thofe  gracious  tempers, 
and  all  thofe  gentle  virtues  which  adorn,  and  dignify, 
the  human  character  ;  even  the  mild,  the  meek  James 
Hervey,  fpeaks  very  ftrongly  on  this  fubjectf.  Glance 
over  the  fpeeches  of  fome  Honorables,  and  Right  Ho- 
iiorables  in  the  Britifh  Parliament,  and  fome  of  the  faft- 
day  fermons  occafioned  by  "  the  rebellion  in  America," 
and  you  may  find  not  a  few  hard  fpeeches  uttered  with* 

t  S?e  Hervey's  faft  day  fermon,  entitled,  "  the  ivay  of  btlintfi.''' 
Works,  vol,  t,  p,  71,  oftavo. 


(  *4  ) 


out  any  juft  provocation  at  all  All  this  is  good  j  thi# 
is  patriotic,  this  is  glorious.  But  if  an  American  ven- 
tures to  mention  what  his  country  endured  from  the 
opprefhons  of  a  venal  court,  ajrd  the  depredations  of  an 
unprincipled  foldicry ;  Tliis  is  mean,  this  is  bigotted, 
this  i&  intolerable  !  Kind  reader,  if  your  property  be 
pillaged,  2nd  you- life  deftroyed,  what  is  the  difference, 
whether  the  mifchicTbe  done  by  a  popifh  inquifitor,  or 
a  liritifh  foldier  ? 

The  author  feels  perfuaded,  that  what  has  now- 
been  fa  id  will  fnisfy  the  candid:  for  no  candid  per- 
fon  will  attempt  to  deny  facts  which  are  familiar  to  eve- 
ry child  ;*or  undertake  the  defence  of  what  is  wholly 
indefenllble.  It  is  really  ftrange  that  any,  be  their  at- 
tachments to  Britain  ever  fo  great,  fhould  fo  far  make 
'themfclves  a  party  in  the  vile  proceedings  of  her  agents, 
as  to  be  offended  when  thefe  proceedingsare  mentioned. 
If,  however,  they  mujl  be  angry,  let  their  refentment 
fall  where  refentment  is  due.-  Let  them  be  vexed  that 
the  armies  cf  a  nation  which  boafts  her  humanity  and 
generofity,  fhould  Aain,  by  a  more  than  favage  barbari- 
ty, the  pretenfjons  in  which  fhe  glories ;  but  let  them 
not  unjuftly  quarrel  with  Americans,  for  expofing,  in 
the  blaze  of  day,  the  wickednefs  which  feeks  fhelter  in 
the  dark  thickets  of  oblivion.  The  author  only  re- 
marks farther,  that  there  was  a  period,  when  America 
thought  her  fuffcrings  of  fulhcient  moment  to  confe- 
crate  a  day,  for  the  exprefs  purpofc  of  publicly  thanking 
the  God  of  heaven  for  her  falvation  ;  and,  when 
fame  perfons  were  happy  in  the  fafety  they  enjoyed. 
But,  tempara  mutantur :  It  is  now  become  a  crime  for 
an  American  fo  much  as  to  hint  at  the  misfortunes  of 
his  country,  under  Britifh  ufurpation,  and  at  the  good- 
r.cfs  of  Cod  in  delivering  hcr« — a  crime  in  the  eyes  of 
men  who,  during  the  time  of  her  calamity,  were  her 
implacable  foes  ;  who  were  afterwards  protected  by  her 
elenftnev  j  and  who  have  fince  grown  luxurious  and 
*-anton  ut>or.  the  fat  cf  the  land. 

FINIS. 


AVERY 

CLASS 


Ex  IGtbrtH 


SEYMOUR  DURST 


When  you  leave,  please  leave  this  book 

Because  it  has  been  said 
"Ever'thincj  comes  t'  bim  who  waits 

Except  a  loaned  book." 


